Want a puppy?
by RaspK FOG
Summary: InuKag. MirSan. The quest is over and Kagome had a hell of a week, feeling nauseous and disoriented. What is going on? (Spoiler: Pregnancy) R to stay on the safe side.
1. Oh, dear

Author's Note: Ahem! I am sorry for the misunderstanding here. To compensate for the problems that arose from my mistake, here are some explanations to your questions:  
1. This is what is happening after the quest is over. Kagome and Inuyasha are a couple, lifemates (officially together).  
2. Inuyasha works as a detective, allowing him to do something that would interest him, exercise his insticts, adapt to the city better (spells and other techniques could be implemented, you will see ^_^) and earn some money all at once!  
3. **Spoiler** Well, there is one tricky point about the pregnancy thing: most mammals do not throw up at all (well, at least not dew to being pregnant!) and vomit tends to have an overwhelming and resonant smell. I seriously doubt her pregnancy gives off as strong a scent as that! And enhanced scent capacity does not mean he could figure out what her smell truly meant. He will notice it, though, when she will start taking Vomex (good against nausea, even for pregnant women).

Chapter 1  
Oh, dear...

'What is wrong with her? She has not been well for a week or so...' said a very concerned Inuyasha, leaning against the wall that stood on the opposite side of the hall, facing the bathroom door. Another groan and a spluttering sound came out of the room, then a whimper, all of them making him wince. 'I've seen sick people throwing up but this is getting so frustrating! She has not had a single day without having nausea for the whole fucking week! What could be wrong?'

At that moment, Kagome finally exited the bathroom, and managed to direct a weak smile to her mate. That was little relief for him, but it was something, anyway. "I think you should see a doctor, my love. I am really worried at your condition!"

"I know... My mother must have given you one major headache." she said, pity in her eyes.

'Tell me about it... Your mother was OK, jii-chan and his warding spell-tags were the real trouble!' Inuyasha thought, a rather amusing grimace of pure disgust plastered on his face.

Kagome brought him back to reality with a kiss. Inuyasha responded quite fast, deepening the kiss, running his tongue in her mouth... only to have the same look of disgust, eyes wide and ready come out of their sockets, this time pulling away from the passionate kiss, almost barfing then and there himself. He would be more careful the next time she had thrown up or something, even if she had washed her mouth; a human would not have noticed this, but he was not fully human now, was he? Damn that sense of taste!

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, forgot you might be able to trace it..." was Kagome's reply, half sad, half humourously for what happened to her poor husband. She snuggled in his chest, comforting him in an instant by scratching one of his cute, furry ears.

"Keep doing that and I'll make sure you will not be able to visit the doctor today... or even for a week!"

"You pervert!" she said, stopping abruptly her soothing antics. "Well, I'll go to my physician to have a check-up. I have not had one for what seems like ages."

"Alright. Would you like me to drop you by?"

Kagome thought of Inuyasha carrying her on his back and jumping from rooftop to rooftop. Some other time, maybe...  
"It's OK, you should go to work, don't you think?"

"Keh... My mate is more important than any investigation I may have!"

"Thank you, but you really like the job, don't you? Working as a detective gives you all the time to work on your insticts; I am sure that's the reason you are still doing it."

Inuyasha's only responce was "Keh! Whatever..." and then he left, closing the door behind him softly yet irritated.

'Always the same, aren't you, Inuyasha? That's alright, though. I love you.'

Kagome grabbed the telephone and dialed her doctor's number to arrange the check-up. 

* * *

Hope you liked it. If you believe Inuyasha was out of character, well, we have not trully seen him in any true romance scene, so assumptions are something normal. Thoughts are always welcome, whether nice or criticising. Sorry if this chapter is small.


	2. Is that right?

Author's Note:  
Hey! I've got reviews for this story! (RaspK FOG is doing the strange dance thingy he does when he is happy)  
Thank you soo much! Dõmo Arigato Gosaimasu! Danke schön! Merci beaucou!...  
(men in white robes approach, mumbling something about FF.Net and their increase in work)  
Hey, what are you doi... humph, hmpuh!!! (and off they go)

Thank you for your help with our couple's surname! I was having a really big problem there!

Chapter 2  
Is that right?

Kagome went to the clinic once again the next day to get the test results. She didn't know what would they be, so, she was not exactly very sure about it. And Inuyasha's concern, while comforting in the way concern from someone we love always is, didn't quite help a lot. Yesterday he had even been bitter.

* * *

"Are you sure you have not eaten anything bad? If those wenches over there at your college have served anything spoiled, I swear, they are in trouble!"

'I am sure they would be!' Kagome thought. "Calm down, dear... I am sure it's nothing serious. Now, how was your day?"

* * *

From that point on the day was rather fine, except for her nausea!

"God, I sure am curious what is going on, but I can't let him get any more worried about me..." she thought aloud.

A few minutes later she got to her physician's office. "Good day, Mrs. Shirosenshi. How are you feeling?" "Good day to you too, Dr. Hiroshi. I am fine, just a bit anxious about the results. Are they ready yet?" was her reply, a shoft expectant smile crossing her face.

"Well, sure they are ready. Just a moment, please."

After a quarter or so, and a very worried Kagome...

"I am sure they were here somewhere" Kagome let out a breath she hadn't notied she was holding. "I am so sorry, nurses make such a mess out of things sometimes..."

"That's alright, can you just tell me what the results were? Don't worry, I'll take them later, but please, tell me the results!" Kagome said, involuntarily raising her voice at the end, startling the poor doctor somewhat.

"OK, if that's so... Well, to make it short, you have nothing WRONG..." was the doctor's reply, the last word clearly emphasised. "But there is one thing left..." he added, his tone gravely serious...

Kagome was trembling considerably; she was actually shivering. "What is it, doctor, that you have not told me?"

Good old Dr. Hiroshi could only smile broadly at her nervousness. "But, 'Congratulations', offcourse!"

Kagome could do nothing but blink uncontrollably. "W...WHAT?!" she shouted, her face contorted because of the utter confusion that had overwhelmed her with these simple four words in general, and that one in particular...

"Congratulations, Mrs. Shirosenshi. You are almost four weeks pregnant!"

Kagome would do nothing but nod her head as Dr. Hiroshi told her about the numerous centers she should visit to keep fit and to exercise the techniques that would help her during and after her pregnancy, matternity programs, gave her various pamphlets and finally the check-up results. She was just stuck thinking the implications of her current state. At her nausea would subside now that she had an appropriate prescription.

'Could it be that Inuyasha will sniff out any difference? I hope not, I do not want him to find out just yet!' was Kagome's thought, if a little wicked, that was right, he deserved it for all the trouble she would go through. 'Wonderful trouble, though.'

"Well, thank you doctor. I will go now." 

"Alright, Mrs. Shirosenshi. Give my Congratulations to your spouse!"

Waving her hand she got out of the office, then left for the bus stop where she could catch the bus to her mother's house. Was she in for a surprise...

* * *

"Oh, honey, that's wonderful news!"

"I know, mom. Man, I have to take a picture of his reaction when I tell him..." she could not help but add, sending both her and her mother in another fit of giggles. Souta entered the kitchen at the exact moment when the laughter started to fade out. The whole house seemed to resonate with their amused sounds.

"Oi, onee-chan, what's so funny?" Souta said, his eyes the same kawai expression from the first episode of the series when he held the dish of fish out to Buyo.

Kagome could only bluss at her brother's sudden appearance, her mother almost doubling with laughter at her look. She hadn't thought of her little brother and his reasonable curiosity!

"Well, Souta..."

Her mother interrupted at that moment, still sniffling because of her previous fit. "It's alright, Souta, Kagome was just telling me you are going to be an uncle soon." was all that Mrs. Higurashi could manage to say before she rolled over, laughing her head off, totally un-lady-like, due to the amazed look that had crept to Souta's face and the scarlet colour on Kagome's.

"Onee-chan!" was Souta's reply as he lounged at Kagome. She could do little but hug him back as he crushed her in his a lot stronger now than some time ago arms, when she met Inuyasha for the very first time...

They were all recovering from their fits, sprawled on the kitchen floor. Until Jii-chan came inside holding another "ancient relic", a confused look on his face, as all three of them going into another fit of giggles and loud laughter... Only to die down in a moment as he frantically started covering them with wards and chanting, this time horrified as he proclaimed they were possessed! 'Ooh, is he going to pay...' Kagome thought...

"JII-CHAN!!! Stop right now!" was her reply to his antics, standing threateningly above his head...

Everybody could do nothing but look at Kagome, then Mrs. Higurashi and Souta at each other knowingly, and jii-chan at everyone else questioningly...

'This is goingto be a long eight months...'

* * *

OK, this is it... What will Kagome do from now on? If I am wrong with the weeks/nausea point, please tell me: I hate making mistakes and not correct them if it is possible... ^_^


	3. Meeting old friends

Author's Note:  
I wish I made any reasons the story was "this way" and not "that way" as clear as possible. A thing or two pointed out:  
1. Insticts are something we do because our own impulse says so. If we are not educated to, we cannot understand them.  
2. Artemis Moon asked for a fic where Inuyasha and Buyo get into a fight. ^_^

Thank you all for your wonderful reviews! This is my first story to have that many (the other stories were very weird in plot, one a song, the other a long-shot fantasy novel, so you can figure out what's the case).

Chapter 3  
Meeting old friends...

Inuyasha was staring deeply into these two eyes, pondering how should he put his question in words...

'Kagome, tell me, please, what's wrong? No, that just sounds too concerned... I am sure she would simply hate seeing me worried.' At that moment he thought he came up with the best way to ask Kagome. A wide grin was plastered all over his face, giving him this well known feral look, only to draw back into a small smile...

"Kagome..." was the only thing he managed to utter before he was cut off. "Meoowww?"

"Stupid cat, can't you just pretend for a moment?" Inuyasha snapped at Buyo, growling deeply from his chest all the while. Buyo would off course hiss, twist and turn in his grasp, trying to run away from the annoying dog with the bad attitude. This attempt resulted in a very comical picture, Buyo trying to scratch the hanyou madly, not even drawing blood, pissing Inuyasha off. Knowing it was Kagome's stupid, fat, old cat and how moody could Kagome suddenly be, he tried to end the chatter by barking loudly at the cat.

This off course resulted in a very panicked cat that tried to free herself madly, ripping a good part of Inuyasha's favourite, baggy, lavender shirt. "Arggh, you are going to pay for this, Buyo!" shouted Inuyasha and started to chase the damned cat around the house, him catching it momentarily, only to get a few more cuts and scratches all over his clothing, toppling furniture at the process.

At the end of their little fight the house was just a pandemonium of things all over the floor. At least nothing had broken: only Inuyasha's quick reflexes to praise for that! "Oh great, now I have to clean up this mess as well, before Kagome actually returns!" He picked up the cat, ready to throw it out to leave him in peace. 'Stupid cat...'

And just because Lady Luck seemed in a good mood to play a game or two at the already desperate hanyou, keys sliding in the lock and turning were heard from the hall, the door flying open next. 'Oh oh...'

As Kagome's eyes went wide at the sight of her living room, furniture sprawled everywhere over the floor and him ready to throw the cat out of the window, Inuyasha wished he had not instructed her to keep his rosary around his neck, her watching her way of using the spell, in case he went ballistic. How much less pain would he be going to experience had he not suggested that...

"Osuwari!" slumm "Osuwari!" slumm, and so on, till Inuyasha felt like his back was about to snap in half... But just then:

"I am so sorry, love, I... I didn't mean to... bouaahhh!" Kagome cried on his shoulder, moistening the tatters of his shirt, sobbing and sniffling uncontrollably. This could do nothing but wash his harsh feelings about the spell away, his concern for Kagome taking over. His usual ignorance just stuck at his throat, not able to come out when seing her in pain. Not any more...

"It's alright, baby, it's fine!" Seeing her only tense and squirm instead of relaxing, crying even more after his last words of comfort; he simply resolved in speaking soothing nonsense and gibberish in her ear, eager to make her stop it.

After she had stopped, he could only playfully add "Oi, wench, you almost deafened me with your wails!", a mock look of pain, at which she responded in the only way he didn't expect: she lunged at him, them keeping company to the chairs and cushions that were all around them.

"I love you, crazy mutt!" she called softly to his right ear, with an anything but slight sound of giggling ringing in the air, complementing her sweet voice... But that was soo embarassing!

"HOW DID YOU CALL ME?!" was the very clever responce from Inuyasha's part, making Kagome roll her eyes before kissing him deeply, suddenly having the urge to do something a bit more... private. It was something she would have to miss for a month or two, so, why not getting some earlier on? Inuyasha's reactions seemed to agree with her.

"Oi, you little pervert, do you want to go upstairs as much as I do?"

His only answer was him ripping the last shreds that were still left of his shirt off himself...

* * *

"Come on, honey, we are going to be late!" The young couple chose to visit their friends back in Sengoku Jidai and Inuyasha seemed to be taking some more time than usual; clatter and noise were coming out of their bedroom at the moment.

"Keh, and if we are? What does it matter?"

Kagome chose to enter then and there. "Sweetheart, I just know you have missed them just as much as I have. What in the world could have actually taken you so lon...?" She was cut off, as she easily realised what all this browsing through their closet was really for. Inuyasha emerged from their room, wearing his fire-rat-fur yukata and holding Tetsusaiga in a very respectful manner. "I am ready now, shouldn't we start going?"

Kagome could only nod her head at the sight of the boy, no, the man now, that she saw for the first time pinned on Goshinboku. 'His vision is as breathtaking as ever...'

Inuyasha could not help but smirk at her staring and gave her a quick but nibbling kiss square on her lips, waking her off her trance. "Let's go, alright?" grabbing the note they would leave at her family's door to let them know... This was their vacation, for God's sake! They didn't have to give a report to every single person out there in the world!

Kagome was blushing furiously for no apparent reason, just being shy, and she snuggled closer to him, mumbling a tiny "hai", giving the signal for Inuyasha to put her on his back, speeding off to the family shrine, to the well that brought her to him, and was going to bring them to their friends... He wondered if Miroku had finally realised that gropping wasn't going to get him any nearer to winning Sango heart... And what had Shippo been doing all this time? He liked the kit, even if he would not accept it in front of others. He had met this other youkai, that female, too. 'What was her name? Oh well, they did seem to like each other... Boy, am I going to tease him or not!'

With these merry thoughts he left the note at the door, the red, blue, white and black blur heading then for the well-house. As he jumped in the well, the same swimming feeling seeping through the two, Kagome could only think of telling Sango and Kaede the news... and asking them a few questions that were bugging her.

* * *

What is going to happen from now on? Is Miroku the Great (Hentai) going to figure out what's "wrong" with Kagome? What is really worrying her? Is there anything she might not have thought of? Just wait and see... ^_^


	4. Long time no see

Author's Note:  
First of all, I want to apologise for this delay, but there was no way I could update for the last three days. My Internet connection failed even to be established, then I could not find the time to wrk on this story, either because of individual projects and such trivial things or my brother working on his college assignment concerning computer security. *sigh*  
I really am sorry and would like to do something in return for all of you out there that are still interested:  
1. at least two chapters for this day!  
2. longer chapters.

^-^

Chapter 4  
Long time no see.

The swirling feeling subsided after a couple of seconds, leaving the two at the bottom of the dry well. As Inuyasha felt the familiar scent of the forest he grew up in, a slight feeling of excitement rose in his cheast. After all, however terrible incidents have occured in it, it would always be his homeland. 'And hometime...' he could not help himself but think. The grin that was crossing his face at the moment finally caught Kagome's attention.

"I have to agree with you in one thing, Inuyasha. This place is marvelous..."

"Keh. When would I say such a thing?" was Inuyasha's obviously mocking reply, playful and jovial... This relation had changed him in a very subtle way. Love does change rock-hard, strong or introvert people: it shows them that being of softer heart does not meen to be weak. Not when you are with those whom you love, at least.

Kagome could only giggle at his facial expression. Happy thoughts seeping through the weave of time... Memories of the company of them all, Shippou, Sango, Miroku, Inuyasha... The quest did start as a heck of a lot of trouble, that's true, but how miraculously had her life changed throughout it! 'Which reminds me I have to ask a lot of my friends about you, little one!'

Inuyasha closed in on her, smelling of her own sweet, entoxicating aroma spiking up and beyond the level, earthy odour of the well... Feeling a shudder run down his spine, he embraced her fervently, as if hanging on her for dear life, rubbing the crook of his neck at the top of her head, leaving off a content growl. Kagome simply leaned over, snuggling against his cheast, her head resting on his collarbone. Snapping himself off of it, he relaxed his hold on her, leaning down to kiss her forehead, only to scoop her up in his arms and jump out of the well. But there was something wrong for sure...

"Have you taken up a few pounds, Kagome, or should you put less stuff in your pack? From its weight I can figure out it won't be long before the seems burst!"

At that comment he felt her stiffen a bit and a slight nad short-lived scent of fear giving off her. He could only wonder why, so he didn't ask, not until, they were a bit more private... He was sure nothing had crept any closer, so why worry?

Kagome for her part was mentally smacking herself for eating so many crackers those last days... She surely had to lose some weight or he would notice her pregnancy too soon!

As the merry couple walked through the forest, a loud cry and an all too familiar youkai escaped the underbrush: "KAGOME-CHAN!" It would be unnecessary to point out that that brought a toothy- well, fangy more like it- grin to Inusyasha's face, as well as Kagome to the ground...

"Ungh! Hello there, Shippou-chan. I missed you too, little fellow..." Kagome's greeting escaped her lips, her voice more mellow than ever. Shippou's could only make her think of her child to be born, and that did make her melt. The two youkai noticed this sweetness, but since there was nothing wrong about it, neither of them chose to question her about it. After all, she had not come to Sengoku Jidai for some time, it was reasonable that she would emotional!

"Fine, Kagome. How are you Inuyasha? Everything is the same since the last time you two left. Except for a few things..." was the energetic kit's answer.

"Oi, twerp, did the two of them get together at last?" Inuyasha piped in.

"Yeah, in your dreams! Houshi-sama has hardly ever stopped gropping at Sango-chan at all!"

At that comment, both Inuyasha and Kagome rolled their eyes, saying "Figures!" at the same time. After a little chit-chat with the chibi-kitsune, all three of them headed once more for the village.

Only to receive a very uplifting greeting.

"HENTAI!" A loud wham then a dry thud were heard after that yelp...

Sango turned right then, ready to stomp off to some other direction were the lecherous monk would not irritate her so much with his perverted thoughts and actions. "Kagome-chan! Inuyasha!"

Kagome run to her friend and hugged her tightly. "Hello, Sango-chan. Nice to see you too!"

"I see the lecher over there has still to change... Keh. Buddha would expect so much more from you, monk!"

As Miroku's reply came from under the dirt his face was still dug in, no one could figure out what was he saying, so Inuyasha picked him up, flipping him on his back with a flick of his wrist.

"What did you say?"

"I said 'Long time no see, Lady and Lord Shirosenshi'..."

* * *

I do not know how this is, so please tell me what you think. Next chapter will be up asap, before 5 am hopefully ^_^


	5. To know naught or to not know?

Author's Note:  
I'd like to thank you all once again for supproting me... I've read authors writing that reviews help them write more and tried to review as many stories as possible, but till now I have never thought of how wonderful would it feel to know that people like your story!  
I'd also like to point out that a try to revise any chapter I have uploaded, not only to correct the ever existent typing errors but to introduce new, however small, parts of text that I felt fit nicely in the story as well. Some of them may be trivial, but if you would not mind checking them (saving them on disk would allow you to read them without wasting money on the connection) please do me this favour. For those of you out there who do so, I hope you like them better than the originals.

Thank you a lot. ^-^

Chapter 5  
To know naught or to not know?

The path to Kaede's hut was not too long and the group didn't have any further problems...

Well, except for poor Shippou, who could only stand the way Kagome and Inuyasha were acting in front of everyone else because he wanted Kagome to be happy. He didn't particularly hate Inuyasha, but they were like elder and younger brothers: sometimes it's just inevitable, one annoying the other... And these two had unknowingly (to the rest of the group amusement) taken up these two roles quite perfectly!

Well, all young children do hate watching couples making out (AN: I am talking generaly, OK?), and Shippou was no exception! He didn't know which would he like to do first, rake Inuyasha or gag? Sighing heavily, he stomped his little kitsune feet, making the whole picture rather comical, as neither Kagome nor Inuyasha seemed to notice his antics, instead of Miroku and Sango, who had hardly managed to hold themselves from rolling over the grassy earth.

'And what would that smell that Kagome leaves be? She has never smelled like that before and it is rather queer an odour!' Shippou could not help his thoughts from forming inside his head, which felt just like bursting, to the kit's dismay...

"'My greetings, Lord Shirosenshi, son of the Lord of the Western Lands. And thou art most welcome, Lady Shirosenshi, for visiting our humble village once again. Your arcane powers as a miko are most needed.' Can you picture Kaede-sama talking like that?" was Miroku's query to Sango, whose giggles were immediately released to the heavens. It lightened his heart that this pained individual could still have such a heart, one that had not grown so hard as not to enjoy life... The others noticed the giggles and could only blush, hurriedly and not completely mistakenly thinking that they were talking about them. They were "married" thrice: once in Sengoku Jidai, once in modern era Tokyo and once when they firstly mated, a marriage by youkai means, and Miroku was the priest who acted the ritual out in Inuyasha's hometime.

Few minutes later they were outside Kaede's hut. As they neared, Inuyasha shouted out: "Oi, Kaede-baba!"

A couple of seconds after Inuyasha's cry, Kaede immerged from her hut. "Greetings, Kagome; Inuyasha. We haven't seen thee for quite some time. How hafth thou fared, my children?"

Kagome wraped her arms around his waist, leaning her head against his shoulder. "We are alright, Kaede-sama. How are you?"

From that point on, the couple started exchanging information with their friends, Inuyasha thanking Kaede and Shippou at some point for managing to work on the enchanted rosary that allowed him to implement his human form as a glamer that would mask his true nature whenever he wanted. He didn't have to stay inside the house all day long, which was awful with Kagome going to university.

'Which reminds me, how has she decided to drop university and stay in for a change? Not that I mind her being at home, that sllows me to protet her better as well, but it is so damn strange...'

* * *

The time passed by and the girls said they would go to the river to have a bath and should any male dare come close, he was going to pay with his life; not that Kagome minded Inuyasha seeing her naked, apart from being shy, but him watching Sango or Miroku any of the two would be totally hentai!

As the two reached the shore, taking their clothes off, Sango noticed a small lump in Kagome's stomach. She did seem a bit, well, plumpier now that she didn't have any clothes on. Now that she paid more interest to the subject, her clothing attire was still provocative according to the standards of Sango's era, but they were slightly baggier... Could it be that she was trying to conceal something? She was not that fat!

"Kagome-chan?"

"Nani?"

"I want to ask you a question, but it would be best if you were completely honest with me, or don't answer me at all, OK?"

"Hai. Fire out!"

Quite blandly, Sango whispered in Kagome's ear: "Are you... hum... pregnant?!"

Kagome's flushed crimson, her legs felt wobbly and she almost lost her footing, still in the shallow waters, barely saving herself from drowning and the water from boiling. "Is it THAT obvious?"

"Well, you managed to fool as all when you wore these clothes, but your belly stands out a little that you are naked. You know, above your... loins." was Sango's reply, turning beat red just before uttering the last word, only to make Kagome's face burn feverishly from the embarassment.

"Ahem; err, tell me, do you have any idea how long has it been?"

"Hai! In my time, doctors- the people that examine and cure others, Sango, somewhat like herbalists- can find how many weeks ago have you concepted... It's another kind of magic people in my time have, OK? Don't look at me like I am crazy!"

"Sorry, it's just so weird... Anyway, how long?"

"About a month and a half, that's what the doctor said. He is such a good man..." As Sango's eyes widened to the point they made Kagome think they were about to pop out of their sockets, she asked what the problem was now...

"Are you telling me you've actually let another man see you... oh gods!" Sango was getting dangerously pale there.

"Gosh, Sango, stop that! No, he didn't, they just use your urine, OK? Now, snap out of it, will you?" Kagome was getting pissed off and she didn't know why...

'She certainly is pregnant; poor Inuyasha...' Sango chose that moment to change the subject. "Ahh, Miroku... He was trying to take a peek last time I bathed." blah-blah

After they finished with their bath, Kagome talked to about her problem once again. "Sango, I know this may sound odd, but I don't want Inuyasha to know just yet. Everything has to be perfect, you know? I want him to be as pleased as I am!"

'If you only knew how happy he would be had he known of your pregnancy, then you wouldn't worry that much...'

"OK, Kagome-chan, but promise one thing."

"What is it that you want? I'd be glad to help..."

"I want to be the god-mother of your child. If Inuyasha agrees, off course..."

Kagome could only smile at her request. If the others learnt of it as well, the child would have more than one god-parent...

"OK, Sango-chan, but I want to talk with you and Kaede-sama about a few things I would like to learn of..."

With that, the two women left the river's bank, clothed once again, heading tot the village and the meeting place around the warm fire...

* * *

Don't kill me, I have also written the next chapter! Review, please. ^_^


	6. Revelations

Author's Note:  
What is it gonna be? Anyway, on with this much shorter chapter...

^-^

Chapter 6  
Revelations...

Everyone was fast asleep. Everyone except for Kagome, Sango and Kaede who had pretended that sleep crept up to their faces, only to let the others droop without raising any suspicions.

"Now, Kagome, tell me what thy problem is."

"Well, as I've already told Sango-chan..." Kagome stummered a little "... I am pregnant with Inuyasha's childe."

Kaede seemed to drift off at that answer, nodding her head so slightly that she might have missed it. "And thou wanteth to talk with the two of us about the details of such a gestation, correct?" It was Kagome's turn to nod her agreement. "In this case, we should not stay outside. Such a matter should not be heard from the rest, since this is what you want, and even a hanyou's ears can strain themselves to listen more than mouths to keep it down." The two young women followed Kaede closely behind into her hut.

"One thing, Kaede, the others can wait: tell me I am not having more than one baby, please?"

"Heavens, no!" A loud sigh escaped Kagome's lips.

"Now, dear, I am afraid this is all too much for thou to handle at one night, but we cannot do otherwise. How old has the baby grown inside you, childe?"

"It's about one month and a half, as I've already told Sango."

"Alright. Now, you know that your childe is going to have half your blood and half Inuyasha's. That means that it is going to be yo-bun- no-ichi yasha (AN: "quarter-demon", thank you Kota Magic). Do you believe your family could keep any neighbours away from the childe until Shippou and I enchant a rosary for it?"

"That's OK, no neighbours would come to the..." At that point Kagome was smacking, kicking, even knocking herself out mentally for not thinking that she could not give birth to the childe in a clinic or hospital. Can you imagine the doctor and most the nurses fainting at the sight of the dog-ears-fangs-and-claws-equipped childe? Kagome almost fainted herself.

"What am I going to do? My family could off course do nothing to keep strangers out of the shrine for so long, and there is no way I can go to a doctor!"

"She means a healer, Kaede-sama." was Sango's reply to Kaede's mountaineer eyebrow.

"Ohh. Well, childe, thou could come here, err, I mean now, and stay for the birth."

"Thank you so much, Kaede-sama..." Kagome had a dreamy expression plastered over her face, a result of her thinking of the three of them: Inuyasha, her... and their child. Their cub, actually...

* * *

An hour and an exhausted Kagome later: "If you excuse me, I could use some rest, ne? Goodnight."

"Sleep well, Kagome-chan!"

Kagome walked over to her sleeping bag along the "guest-room" they were occupying, her eyes tracing the path that led to Inuyasha's content form sleeping just beside it. As she walked near him, she came up with a plan...

"Inuyaaashaa..." said Kagome in a melodic way, hunched over him. The inu-hanyou squirmed a little, then turned his head to see her. "Kagome..."

Kagome grinned at his sleepy look and leaned to plant a soft kiss square on his lips. Inuyasha found this very pleasant however unexpected and chose to go further with it. As he hugged her, he brought his hands under her shirt, running them up and down along her spine. Kagome shuddered, taking a deep breath from her nostrils, very heated now. She placed her hands on his cheast, kissing him passionately all the while, managing to make two almost identical moans to be emmited from the two of them. Sweet bliss... Inuyasha parted his lips slightly and nipped as lightly as possible at her lower lip, begging her to part her own. As Kagome opened her mouth in responce, her tongue darted out of it, reaching out for his own. Inuyasha felt the sweet, eruptive sensation of her tongue sliding on top his own, twirling around and meshing with it in a dance of passion and love he could not resist.

At that moment Kagome chose to raise her left hand to reach his right ear with it and start scratching it. Inuyasha left out a rather loud gasp, effectively breaking the kiss, then growled contentedly. "You ruined a perfect moment, you know that?"

"I guess youlike that very much and I happen to find your... purring... very cute." Kagome replied with a ^v^ face.

"I. Do. Not. Purr." Inuyasha said firmly yet unconvincingly.

"I just wanted to ask you what you'd like for Christmas." The birth would be around that time of the year since she conceived around the end of March.

"Ohh, I don't know what do you thing?" he said playfully, not knowing were would this lead to...

"Hmm; hey, I know!" Kagome leaned closer and leaving but an inch between their noses she said: "Want a puppy?"

* * *

This is not the end of the story; a chapter or two more to go...

ROFLMAO!!! OK, folks, I have to admit it, the reason I begun writing this story was the idea of this scene: Kagome asking Inuyasha whether he would like a puppy for a Christmas present, aka their child... Hope you are not dissappointed...

In the next chapter, what is Kouga going to do (he does find out, unlike Miroku)? Is Shippou going to take it nicely? ^_^


	7. Yet more revelations

Author's Note:  
OK, somebody shoot me for last chapter! O~O I did not meen that!!! (Crouches, drops to the ground and stuff to avoid being shot). Seriously now, I am sorry for being so mean to you, but I just could not help myself! Furthermore, that remark about the "May" thing was right; it should have been "March" instead... Hey, I may be a nutcase, but I am good at Biology and Anthropology! Oh, something else... Lemon-queen-69 noticed something that you didn't. (Checks security system piled up around documents to see if there is some breech.) As an answer to your question... ^v^

Thank you for your interest in this story! You have made RaspK FOG a very happy person!

Chapter 7  
Yet more revelations...

Inuyasha's face contorted at her words, flinging Kagome's merry thinking to the garbage. 'Is it possible that Sango-chan could be wrong about his feelings concerning kids? That cannot be...' If she only knew what crossed his mind...

'Keh, why would I want a mutt around the house?' After a moment, when Kagome's words seeped through his stubborness, making him fully aware of their meening, Inuyasha's mouth almost reached the floor, eyes ready to pop out of their sockets, his face getting pale, only to brighten into one of the biggest grins he had ever displayed! Kagome's face lit up, not knowing what had Inuyasha previously thought, still grateful that he seemed happy with the news... "You should have told me earlier, you know!"

Kagome lept at his form, hugging him so firmly he had to struggle to even breathe. "I am so glad, my love, that you are happy as well."

"How in the world could you ever think I would not be happy about that?" was his reply, good news having swept the stupid thoughts he had just a matter of seconds ago.

"Baka!" Kagome mocked hurt, while Inuyasha brought her closer to him, continuing their passion-filled kiss, picking pace from where they stopped...

Sango noticed all of this and didn't manage to stiffle a giggle that escaped her lips, stirring Miroku up in his sleep, who in turn asked her what was wrong. Miroku followed the line that Sango's finger traced, sighing heavily at the sight of the two lovebirds... "They are never going to learn now, are they?"

"I don't think so..."

Around that moment, Shippou's nose reached up in the room, only to notice there was something wrong. "What's this smell?" Shippou said?" Turning around to see what would be emmiting this smell, he saw Kagome in Inuyasha's arms, hugging each other... The smell was coming from over there somehow. 'Don't know waht is it, but I have to go away; that thing is making me feel dizzy...' With that thought Shippou ran off, jumping over a startled Sango, heading for Kaede's room. 'It was beyond me, thinking I would prefer the reek of herbs than Kagome's presence...'

* * *

The following morning the whole party of five had breakfast outside Kaede's hut. As they sut munching and sipping their share of the food, Kagome chose to speak up.

"Houshi-sama, I want to talk to you about something, but you have to promise me that you are going to keep your hands to you!"

"What could have made you think of such a thing, Lady Kagome?", at which Kagome promptly rolled her eyes.

"Come on, and do as I said, or Inuyasha would be very upset..." That truly caught the monk's attention.

"Alright..." As they reached a clearing, curiosity had already caught the best of him. "OK, we have left the village. Can you please tell me what were you thinking of earlier?"

"Well, I wanted to ask you to be Inuyasha and my child's godfather, since Sango is going to be its godmother..."

"Oh, that's it... No big deal, I guess." As the aforementioned monk turned his back to head for the village once more, he suddenly facefaulted, much to Kagome's amusement...

Miroku found none of this very funny. "You and Inuyasha are having a child?" Kagome noticed that as he picked himself up, he was trembling pretty badly for a moment.

"What is it, Houshi-sama? Are you alright?"

"No, I am not! I would like to congratulate you, yet I seriously have to keep my promise, have I not?" Miroku's puzzled look was almost as good as Inuyasha's when she told him about it. Almost...

"Come and give me a hug, my friend!"

After that little chat, the two of them turned back to the village to find that Inuyasha and Sango were missing.

"Shippou-chan, were are Sango and Inuyasha?"

"I do not know, Kagome-chan, Sango just wanted to talk to Inuyasha about something..."

Kagome nodded her understanding. "Come over here, cuttie!" Shippou followed suit, jumping in Kagome's lap. There was something that he could not figure out, something that he could not recall as a trait of her own scent...

"Tell me, Kagome-chan, why do you smell different now? Has anything happened while you were away?" Kagome's face blushed furiously at Shippou's rightful question. 'Youkai sense's can be soo frustrating...'

"Well, Shippou, tell me have your mother ever told you how were you brought to this world?"

Shippou seemed out of it, really dumbfounded at her words, then awfully sad as he gazed down at his feet... "Not really; I would not be considered old enough to be told of such stuff, and I wasn't really interested at the time... Then she died, and..." Tears were streaming down his cheeks, not many, but of the heart-breaking kind, those that drip down one's face, and while you think they will hit the ground with a soft plinck, they pound your heart, making it ache for the things that should not have happened... "It's OK, Shippou, it's alright, please don't cry..." Kagome tried to soothe him, wandering if her child would ever have to endure such pain and grief. 'Well, I'll do my best to prevent harm from reaching us, keeping our child safe from Shippou's kind of hurt!"

A minute later, Shippou raised his face to look at Kagome. "I am fine, Kagome-chan. Now, what were you talking about?"

"See now, Shippou, when a couple is very happy with one another they may want to give birth to a child, their greatest bond of love, their greatest responsibility and their greatest joy. Right?" Shippou nodded, not completely understanding...

Kagome was feeling her face turning a little pinker with every word she spoke out; she would prefer to have such talk with her children only. "Well, gulp, when the couple think of themselves as ready, they gulp mate again, during specific days. That way, gulp, the female partner gets pregnant, that is, gulp, their child is growing inside her body."

Shippou seemed amazed at the information. "So, that's what Miroku meant when he was saying 'bare my child' to these women... Tell me, Kagome-chan, what is mating exactly?"

"NANI?" Kagome was looking pretty much like a tomato. "Shippou-chan, excuse me, but I do not think I can tell you right now!"

"Well, I can always teach him the theoritical part." Miroku offered. "NE!!!" Kagome shouted.

Shippou could not exactly understand what was all this fuss about, so he asked his next question. "Seriously, Kagome-chan, what does all this have to do with you?" As the two elder humans stared at him, finally aware of the fact that he had not figured anything out, Shippou was getting really confused. "What?"

"Well, to tell you the truth, Shippou-chan, I... hum... I am pregnant." Shippou's face lightened brightly at her words. "Yipee!" he said and lunged at her, hugging her tightly... 'Brother or sister? I do not care, I will love it nonetheless!'

"Can't... breathe..." Kagome managed to say, making Shippou relax his hold. "You know, Kagome-chan, someone very familiar is approaching..."

"Who is he? Is he human?" Miroku asked?

"Ne, sniff, it's Kouga..." Kagome looked at the monk knowingly, at which Miroku nodded his head slightly. As Kagome was about to tell Shippou not to talk about her pregnancy in front of Kouga, Shippou spoke up: "Do you think Kouga is going to be mad at Inuyasha because of you baring his child?"

A very loud roar that sounded like "WHAT?!" was heard from a clearing next to the spot they were sitting down.

"Oh, shit..." Miroku whispered, only to smack himself on the head with his staff for improper language.

* * *

Well, I hope you liked it. Please forgive me for being late again, but I had Computer/Internet problems once more... See you!


	8. Confront the beast

Author's Note:  
I'd like to point out something here that I think you should know... It's really very important that people write reviews, because they can reflect their feelings for the story, either positive or negative. A few people have pointed e.g. that they found the first chapter too fluffy and mushy, something I disagree with, for Inuyasha had already confessed his love and would of course care for her (or at least express his worry). But if you have an objection, like these people had, to point out, I would like to receive a remark of yours. Some reviewers did and I thank them for it; you show me how good readers you are. ^_^

O_O 100+ Reviews? I am fluttered! ^v^

Chapter 8  
Confront the beast...

Sango told Inuyasha too come with her for a moment, saying she would be back in a minute. "Would you stop pushing me around?" Inuyasha spout at her.

"Alright, will you just listen up? I am pretty sure you are more interested in this than you might expect!"

"OK, taijiya, what is it? Speak up."

"I know Kagome's pregnant!" Sango said, giggling at the sight that he had to present at her words. "Nani?"

Sango naturally rolled her eyes. "Of course, baka. She couldn't keep this a secret from her friend when she promptly inquired her, now, could she?"

"Guess not. Anyway, since you apparently know that, what would you like me to do? Or was there any other reason you took me out here in the woods?"

'He is asking me how should he bribe me? This is gonna be fun! Even if talking about Kagome's condition and surprises and stuff was my initial idea, it would not hurt to gain something extra from that deal!'

Sango suddenly noticed a waving hand in front of her face. "Dammit, has anything possessed you or what?" Inuyasha asked.

"Humph! Actually, Inuyasha, I'd..."

A very loud "what" was heard from near the direction of Kaede's hut. 'Shit!' Sango thought. Sniffing at the air, Inuyasha's face darkened, while saying "This can wait for the moment...", dashing through the trees.

"Oh, dear... That sounded awfully much like Kuga's voice back there." Sango noticed, following behind.

* * *

As the loud cry sounded, a very pissed youkai emerged from the forest, his form bitter and intimidating. Turning his head to look at the monk, he made one question only.

"Where is the bastard hanyou?"

"I do not know what you are talking ab..."

"WHERE IS INUYASHAAA?" Kouga left a shout so loud that Miroku felt his ears ready to split in half, wincing in pain, as the youkai charged, grabbing him by the collar in one swift move and raising him a few inches above ground. A small trail of blood run from the monk's ripped robes, as sharp claws slashed involuntarily at his skin. 'It hurts... Don't give in to pain, pain is something lower than you, don't pay any heed to it...' As Miroku's thinking walked along that path, his expression was calm and stoic, almost apathetic. That seemed to enrage Kouga even more.

"Stop this! Kouga-kun, listen to me." Kagome offered, but Kouga didn't seem to listen to anything that would not help him find that pathetic, flea-infested mutt that dared even touch his woman. Click. Everything fell into place, making Kouga turn around to face Kagome.

"How dared he done this to you, Kagome? You are my woman, he had no right... I am going to rip him to pieces for that!"

Kagome was ticked off pretty badly and decided that this parody of his should take an end; the sooner the better. "In the name of whatever you revere, Kouga, I am HIS woman, remember? We married twice, for gods' sake, without even having divorced at that, and we have even become mates! Does this meen anything to you or not?!" Needless to say that a demon and a monk sat for the first time so close to one another, only wondering of a woman's attitude, quite stunned actually.

At this point, Inuyasha got out of the forrest near the village, Kouga's rage flaring up once again. As he dashed towards the worried hanyou, none of the present humans could reach out to hold him, and even if they could, they would either manage to have their arms snapped or themselves dragged off.

But Inuyasha was not human. And Kouga no longer had his shards of the Shikon no Tama.

As he brought his hands level with Kouga's shoulders, he grabbed him swiftly, kneeing the infuriated youkai at the stomach, knocking the air out of him. The fight that would have started had ended as fast as it broke out.

"Stupid wolf." Turning to the still startled Kagome he said: "Without the shards that he had put at his legs he had no chance at all; how much hurt can a snake with no teeth inflict on you?" Kagome neared Inuyasha, forgetting everything about Shippou and his questions.

"Oi, Inuyasha, can YOU please tell me what mating is and what is it all about?" As Inuyasha simply froze in place, the couple seeming like a pair of Kakatooa Ara (AN: pink parrots with red foreheads, resting their heads on their mate's head, aka lovebirds), Shippou decided that asking Sango about the subject at hand faced her, asking: "Sango?"

When everyone seemed most relactant to tell him, Shippou shrugged his shoulder's. As the company, came close to Kaede's hut again, the little kitsune's eyes sparkled wildly, as he ran off towards it, yelling: "Kaede-bachan, explain me what mating is!" The four people outside the hut doubled with laughter, as a lot of clatter, falling and jingling were heard from inside it.

* * *

That night was very pleasant. The stars seemed so close that you would swear you could almost reach them, and the sky had an apparent, rich, blue hue that complemented the milky-way's magnifiscence even more than its usual jet-black color. Kagome sat straight from her sleeping bag, staring at Inuyasha's form on the Sacred Tree. After Kouga's frantic attitude, Inuyasha would once again be up on the look-out one would say he had made of Goshinboku. And that meant that her nights would be lonely for some time. 'Why, Kouga? Are you that stubborn ar that foulish?" asked Kagome no one in particular, suspecting, though, that the latter would be more accurate, even if both applied in Kouga's case.

She was depressed at the sudden turn of events, for she really wanted Inuyasha at her side while asleep. It was very soothing, having her love next to her. It felt almost as if he would never even could or have to leave. Having to separate from him made her sad. She had to be away fromhim in the past before, but during nights this is a wholy different thing. Not to mention that she would not want to feel detached from him right now that she bore his child... In order to relax and forget of all of these trivial matters, she sat by the fire, looking intently at the sparkles that flew from the crackling wood that was slowly burning to ashes, but to no avail.

All of a sudden, two clawed hands rested on one of her shoulders each, starting a circular, firm massage along the nerves and muscles, relaxing the stretched tendons that had already made their presence more than obvious. A soft gasp escaped her lips, as she recognised one of Inuyasha's practises. "Shh, yes, it's me, Kagome..." Inuyasha finished his massaging, confident that these bumps were finished.

"I am sorry for the panic I gave you earlier, but, as you might have figured out,..."

"You told Shippou and he said something inappropriate in the presence of Kouga." Kagome nodded her head, showing her agreement. "Come on, it's not the first time that kitsune has made a mess he had not planned of!"

Kagome stood silent for a moment. When she finally spoke out, she said: "You know, that question he asked? Well, he has asked me too, because of how I explained everything to him, and he seems to be more interested in it than he should!"

Inuyasha thought of the possible implications of the simple fact at hand, but waved it off like there truly was no problem at all. "I wouldn't worry if I were you. Seems that the little twerp has the devil's luck!"

"Yeah, but as much as you may hate to admit it, you like the 'little twerp'! But, you know, there are other things we should talk about, things that have to do with Shippou..."

Inuyasha shook his head "For once, I suggest we sleep together, just as we always did, and leave this conversation for some better time; if Kouga has not charged at me already, then they must have gone away, him and his shattered pride."

"Alright, but we will talk about what we are going to tell Shippou."

"Agreed" Inuyasha replied at that.

A few minutes after they have stopped talking and slept by the other's side, so very unalarmingly, a child-like yell came from their side.

"Kagome would have never done THAT gross! Yeck!"

The couple looked at each other. Both marveled at the images of torture that crossed their minds at the moment, thinking of the pain that they would like to physically inflict upon him: Miroku...

* * *

This is getting MUCH longer than I thought... I never expected that to happen! As always, hope you like it.


	9. Genes don't agree with you!

Author's Note:  
One thing or two for those of you that do not know a lot of genetics (like that's possible!):  
1. The gender is defined by the male's gamete that fuses with the female's (sorry, do not remember the @%*$& names).  
2. As for the child's heritage... well, there is a bit of a surprise for everyone ^v^  
As for 'The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife', I am not entirely sure if it had been painted before, during or after the Sengoku Jidai, but it is a representative artwork of Japanism sensuality and hedonism. I would put a NC-17 notice on it!  


Chapter 9  
Genes don't agree with you!

"Inuyasha, I think that's enough! A monk pulp would not help us a lot, you know..." was Kagome's sarcastic request. After what he told to poor little Shippou she didn't really want to "osuwari" Inuyasha; Miroku did deserve what he got this time... The hentai had even found a piece of charcoal and drawn some of the most embarrassing pictures a human being would ever think of!

Inuyasha was actually giving a unique recital of his very own. BOP! "...hentai..." WHAM! "...stupid." DONK! "...incompetent..." SLAM! "...monk!" Just as he finally ended, he left the lecherous man behind to rub the bumps off his head. "Can't you just get anything right? We were going to tell Shippo the best way we could find, not by drawing geishas or 'The Dream of the Weatherman's Wife' or however you called that thing!"

Miroku rubbed his head, to relieve himself of the pain, to no avail, and raised his glance at Inuyasha. "That's 'The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife', not the 'Weatherman's', and I see no reason that you should act like that. Shippou was just a little upset! All boys and girls are the first time they learn of this sort of thing..."

Kagome had turned a thousand shades of red and blue, not managing to not add another bump on the monk's skull. "HENTAI! The picture shows a woman, a squid and an octopus going at it! How could you do such a thing?! Now Shippou thinks I am sexually demented!" When everyone's brows reached 7 feet above ground, she exclaimed "He thinks I am like Miroku!", at which Inuyasha glared even more at Miroku, Sango only barely managed to stiffle a laugh and Miroku didn't know if he should be shocked or pleased...

After a minute of further scowling, shouting and glaring, Sango thought this might as well end right there. "Guys, Miroku is such a pervert, we all know that." At that point, Sango was seriously thinking of using Hiraikotsu, but a concussion would not help that maniac get a life! Turning to the others, she said "I think that talking to Shippou would be wiser at the moment, don't you?"

Kagome looked at Inuyasha whose expression looked a lot less stiff, as if it had lost some of its hardness. "Sango's right, love. If he knew better, he might be able to deal with it an easier way."

"I agree with the whole plan, but what are we gonna tell him? We haven't discussed that part yet!" Inuyasha reasoned.

"Hmm, Shippou wouldn't really like us to have planned anything earlier, so that meens we must improvise..." Both of them looked exasperated at the moment. Kagome threw her hands at the air before going over at Inuyasha, who could nothing else than hug her. "We will be right back!"

As the two of them left the camp to find Shippou by the river as he told them he would go, the heard a yelp, then a loud knock and "HENTAI!" being voiced by Sango. Miroku...

A few seconds later due to Inuyasha's high senses and speed, they stood only a couple of feet beside Shippou.

Kagome chose to speak up first. "Hey, little buddy..."

A sniff and a sob were heard. Inuyasha sniffed at the air and found his answer: there should be no smell of salt by the river... He sut in front of Shippou and waved at Kagome to go hug the kit; jealousy could wait for a while. She did as she was told, confident that this was the best...

It seems that they would make good parents, for after a second or two, a small, shy squeek left the kit's mouth. "Oi... how are you... two?"

"We are just fine, but we are worried about you, little guy!" Kagome wanted him to open up, so it seemed best that they were open up as well. "You know, the first time my kid brother Souta found out of HOW does a couple mate, well, he didn't really know how to act in front of my mother, you know? He felt like he didn't want to see her again... I remember that he asked me back then not to have any boyfriends or whatever, even though I was young!" That seemed to lift Shippou's spirits a little, by he was still sad...

Inuyasha coughed, requesting to speak. "Shippou, I know you must think that what Miroku told and showed you must be sick and disgusting, but this is only because of the way he presented things to you. This whole affair is not only delicate and private, it also happens to be very... nice! Both people feel good, and that's one of the reasons they do it." Shippou blushed at his words, yet he seemed more interested in what he was listening to.

"Well, can you tell me something, Kagome?" Shippou asked, his tiny pupils sparkling with curiosity.

"Hai!"

"Is your baby going to be yo-bun- no-ichi yasha? Inu for that part..."

"Why," Kagome was about to tell him that this was the case, very much influenced by what Kaede told her, when she finally remembered something they have been taught in school... The child would either be full-human or hanyou, nothing else would be possible! Her lower lip was trembling slightly as she reconsidered what was awaiting her in the future...

"Kagome, is something wrong?" Inuyasha asked in a very concerned tone.

Shippou frowned once more, picking himself up. "Maybe I should go..."

At this point Kagome threw her arms around two very startled male beings, saying "No need, either for worrying or going... I just have to tell you something I have forgotten all about!"

Inuyasha looked like he would not care should a cow with his name on it crossed his path. "OK, what is it that you have forgotten?"

Kagome gave the two of them one of her most adorable smiles and replied in a soft, warm voice. "First of all, Shippou, what has Houshi-sama told you about mating?" Shippou blushed, but answered sincerely. "He told me, that the man puts his seed inside the woman's body." It was obvious he chose his words carefully, as if very embarrassed of what he was told. Kagome smiled once again, knowing that the lecherous monk helped her a little in a very peculiar way...

"To tell you the truth, that's only part of it. The woman also has a seed of her own inside her. And the man deposits more than one seeds, so that it is more certain one fertilises the woman's. Furthermore, each seed represents a half of each parent, so the child has one half the physical characteristics of the father and one half of the mother, all mingled together." Both males seemed very interested in this new information. It was very different from what they thought they knew.

Kagome moved on with her explanation. "That meens that our child will either be like Inuyasha or like me; either a hanyou or a human!" When she uttered those words, little Shippou's jaw had dropped to the ground. Inuyasha on the other hand would not look much different had she used the rosary's spell.

After gathering themselves and explaining a few more things, getting the small, young kitsune even more out of his shell, and making him not want to ask Miroku about anything else, since he had turned something, well, natural, to say the best, to something disgusting and totally I-don't-even-want-to-think-of-that, all three started back for the village. Just a little before they had arrived, Shippou had to ask another clever question...

"Inuyasha, I know you are an only-child, but, since you are an inu, is it not possible that Kagome bares more than one of your children? What?"

Shippou was now looking at the two that he had almost adopted as brother and sister, both very pale...

* * *

If my writing has neither disgusted nor disappointed you yet, I am very surprised... I don't know how should I categorise this chapter, but I had to put the couple explain Shippou what was going on and Kagome telling them about the child's heritage.

Am I evil? You know I would not have her take supersonics. Can you imagine the doctor's face? "Your baby's heart is beating just fine, his lungs are shaped perfectly, as are his ears..." Well duh! x_x


	10. Frustration

A VERY LONG Author's Note:  
This must be the longest note I 've ever wrote, and thus is palced on the bottom of this chapter... if you are interested on it, go read it when you are finished with this one... ^-^ Sorry for the delay! o-o

Some of you will want to tear me apart for not having Inuyasha want to tear Shippou apart. Phew! ^-^

Chapter 10  
Frustration...

Kagome stood still, her lower lip trembling at the thought. She could easily cope up with the idea of having a child, she liked it actually, but she had never thought the chance of having twins! What if she had more, as Shippou suggested? But that would not be possible, now, would it?!

Inuyasha on the other hand had other things to thing of. 'But that cannot be! I may know only the slightest of things about humans, but everybody knows that women bare one child at a time. Why is Kagome trembling then? Don't tell me she believes she will have a litter!' (AN: Sorry for that, but so many reviewers used the word and I found it kind of funny. ^_^)

None of them had noticed how pissed was Shippou getting. Until a very loud shout shook them out of their thoughts. "OI, YOU TWO!" After their breathing evened out, Shippou cried out again. "What have you gone so silent for? What has come over you, huh?"

"It's nothing, Shippou... Guess none of us thought this would ever happen!" Kagome answered frankly.

"And that means a certain taijiya and a certain priestess have gotten themselves into trouble..." Inuyasha said, stomping back to the village.

"I think Kaede is going to have a headache..." Shippou's words trailed off as he and Kagome followed the angry hanyou.

* * *

A few hours later...

"Ite! And I thought Kaede-bachan would de having a headache! Ite, ite,ite..."

"Oh, my head!" Miroku growned.

"It's all your fault, houshi-sama. Had you not tried to grope on Sango from the last line again, none of the others would pile up on top of you, when every single one fell over." Kagome pointed out, scooting away before he would try anything on her. "Hentai..."

She would have been rather amused at the reminder of this almost comical picture: when she told them the various little things that modern era women and their Sengoku Jidai counterparts didn't have in common concerning fertility and survival ratios, let's just say it was a bit more than mere overwhelming! Consider that she had also informed the rest of her friends of the "either hanyu or human" matter an top of that, and you you can get the idea of how most of them felt. The funny part was that Kaede seemed to be the least dazed after the news broke, unlike everyone else!

"Can't you leave the baka yaro alone and bring some ice over here?" Inuyasha whimpered and Sango nodded her agreement. "It's not like he is going to die, except if whining can kill you!" Chuckles and giggles resonated through the forest, resulting in more grunting after the merry laughter died down...

"Right here, Inuyasha..." Kagome handed him a big chunk of ice, smiling sympathetically, making him grin at her despite his splitting headache.

He turned his head to the side in an instant when a funny snort came out of the little kitsune, wrapped in his own form on top of Kagome's sleeping bag. It still eluded him how did the kit manage to fall so easilly asleep, considering the fact he was just grumbling for his ringing ears!

Before she left to give Sango one of her own, she grabbed her wrist and lowered her, kissing her on the lips as he reached out for them, brushing his own on them before dippening it. A moment later he pulled away, longing evident on her face. "Gomen... Tell me, Kagome. Do you hate the idea of having another child soon?"

Kagome looked startled from hit-and-run kiss and the question following it, but only for a moment. She whispered: "I'd love to. Are you asking in case we don't have any twins or something? Or do you plan on me baring your children for the rest of my life?" Kagome mocked hurt. This only broadened his grin. "Aishiteru, Kagome." With that taken care of, he set her on his lap, bending her legs a bit sideways, grabbing her waist and pulling her to him... A frantic, passionate kiss was exchanged between the two, their heated expressions on their flustered faces showing their need for them to meet in this so... right place that your beloved's arms always are... A small moan escaped Kagome's mouth, matching Inuyasha's deep, beastial rumbles emanating from his cheast, their lips trembling with anticipation at the 

If only they were alone... Not that they took notice of anyone around them.

Too bad they were not alone...

"Ahem!" Sango coughed, loudly enough to make Inuyasha's ears instantly stick to his hair to muffle the noise at least, and the two retreating from their kiss, embarrased from actually getting so hot in front of their friend and companion. "I am sorry to disturb you, but Shippou is still not very comfortable with such effusiveness, you know? Supposing you do not care that much for how I feel about you two ready to strip in front of me, there still is Shippou, hn? What would happen lest he woke up?" It was just then that the two noticed her own resemblance to a strawberry; red with a lot of sweatdrops all over her face... Needless to say that should there exist a museum about the colour red, they would all be listed in it!

The two left each over, blushing tremendously, their heavy, weary sighs echoing throughout the night. This was not very easy for any of the two, but they had to...

"Gomen, Sango-chan..."

"Keh!" Sango bluched even more at the semblance to Inuyasha's replies, Kagome loosening a little at that, a light giggle sounding from her mouth, despite her efforts to muffle it with a hand over her mouth. "As long as you two don't... gulp... 'mate' in front of me at any given time, there's no big deal!"

And thus, the blushing and giggling roles reversed...

* * *

Kagome and Sango finally pulled out at one side of the hut, Shippou on Kagome's lap, the rest of the male members of their almost hillarious group on the opposite. Kagome knew that everyone should have drifted to sleep already, yet she could find no rest...

'What if I am baring more than one child? Am I going to be able to take care of them all?' With that thought, she turned her head to catch a glimpse of her husband, her love, to make sure he was still asleep.

The even, low breathing and rythmic rise and fall of Inuyasha's cheast told her that must be the case.

'Am I going to be a good mother of even one child?!' She nervously debated the question she had asked of herself, not knowing the answer, altough it was obvious to everyone...

Everyone but her.

Sharply spinning her body as she was sprawled inside her sleeping bag, huddling to herself, she felt her eyes watering from worry. What if she had twins and would not manage to give birth naturally? Would the children or even her be in danger? She didn't know how to keep herself calm and broke into silent tears.

A couple of seconds later she heard a low scuffling sound, even a mild agitation, yet she was not sure of what would that be. To tell the truth, she had not really noticed, until four eyes looked down at her curled form.

Four bright, slitted eyes.

"Ka..Kagome-chan?!" Shippou was in the verge of losing his voice at the pain he held in his half step-mother, half adopted sister's quivering frame.

"Koibito?" Inuyasha's voice on the other part had already cracked. "What is it?"

"I..Inuyasha?! Shippou?!" Kagome could not hold any more. "Why, Inuyasha? What will happen if I am pregnant with twins? They may die!" and with she flung herself at his warm, safe embrace. Inuyasha started whispering sweet, soothing non-sense in her ears to help her relax, running a hand up and down her spine.

Shippou sniffed at the incident that took place in front of him; not knowing how to comfort the person that supported him all along after he lost his parents, he squirmed a little, hesitant to move on with the only thing that would come to his mind.

Noticing Shippou's hesitance, Inuyasha rested his head on Kagome's shoulder, casting a quick glance and nodding for Shippou to come nearer.

At this completely unexpected move, Shippou backed off a little, only to smile broadly and lunge himself at Kagome's stomach, hanging on her as if for dear life. "Okaa-san!"

Kagome looked down at him, a hint of a smile rising on her face.

Shippou looked expectantly at her, then added grinning: "Don't worry, okaa-san, I am here to help... Oh, and Inuyasha too!" he was quick to add under the mockingly-angry stare of the hanyou. This got a delighted, soft chuckle from Kagome's part...

Inuyasha lowered his smirking lips at her ear, whispering in such a low voice that Shippou would not hear him. "Our first child... will help us on, hn?"

Kagome relaxed in his arms, soothing thought after soothing thought coaxing her to sleep, as the tiredness of care did with the two non-human males. The three of them sat there, Shippou scrambled beneath Kagome's breasts, on her belly, Inuyasha wrapping them both in his arms... "Our first child..."

* * *

I would like to thank everyone who reads this story, especially the reviewers. And I may be glad that I have received some very good critics, by I am even more glad that some of you have even foresaw some of the things I have in mind. (_OvO_) However, I must add that I felt somewhat frustrated, trying not to copy your thoughts and realisations, thus taking all this time to write this chapter. This problem arose from the mere fact that I always write a chapter only if the last one is finished, and I normally only think of major plot twists and/or catchy dialogues and mannerisms, not the final text. I am sorry for the delay...

As an answer to the well-made points concerning genetics, I want to put down these thoughts:  
1. Youkai powers and attributes are supernatural. Should they ever arise from genes, youkai still do not have claws, fangs and the rest directly because of the genes, but because of their supernatural nature, a feature deriving from the genes. Thinking of this, I suggest that a new gene, one that substituted a previously inert part of the human DNA, is present in youkai. That means it is a feature either imparted or not, because this gene should be neither dominant nor non-dominant, but equally dominant with humane gene. This would explain the existence of hanyou. Furthermore, Inuyasha, as a hanyou, would not lose his special characteristics on the new moon, or have them emphasized when enraged or brought back to normal whenever holding Tetsusaiga. Phew!  
2.Should I have not come up with this theory of mine, I still would never have Kagome lecture the two feudal agers like I did to you; think they would have a chance? I doubt it.

Furthermore, I had been congratulated (O_O Arigato...) for not turning this story into a NC-17/lemon/lime or whatever... To tell you the truth, I had a completely romantic story in mind, where sexual intercourse would be more or less implied, yet never directly pictured. I actually preferred to write such a kind of story as to not offend any of you, the readers, in any of two possible ways. The first one has to do with the content: some people do not like reading any clearly sexual action taken by any person. The other reason is that the only experience I've ever had has been nothing but cuddling, kissing and nipping. Even if I chose to overcome the first problem, there would still be the matter of inexperience, and I do not want to cheat anyone: I never write things that I have not, even in the tiniest extent, experienced or grasped.

That's it, I am off to have some of my LSD (Liquid Sugar Dispencer, aka carbonated beverage).


	11. Things to come

Another awfully long Author's Note:  
Well, the same thing applies to this chapter as well... It has outrun us and now reaches the end of this chapter.

Chapter 11  
Things to come...

Inuyasha felt something stinging his eyes and tried his best to avoid the piercing feeling, but it was impossible; it burnt his face with a might of unthinkable proportions.

Suddenly turning his back, flopping Shippou of his waist and managing to squeeze the little kit between his and Kagome's bodies, he muttered: "Damn you, eastern window... Can't you shut close on your own?"

Of course, the mean, creeky, old shutters paid no heed, resulting in a very badly risen hanyou. Grumbling like a child, rubbing his sleepy eyes, he lifted himself off the matting and onto his feet.

Hearing a soft, distinct thud, Inuyasha could not help but cast a turbid glance at the two figures still lying on the matress next to his bare feet. 'Kagome... Shippou...' Drawing in a shaky breath at the scent of the two reaching his nose, he shook his head, turning his back on them to go close the stupid thing fast...

As he walked towards the wall, he realised that the houshi and the taijiya had left the hut, as had the old miko. 'Kaede-baba must have gone to take care of some sick girl or cast a spell or something somewhere around the village, I suppose. But where are the other two? Had they left us alone to sleep smoothly? Or is it possible that they have asked for some privacy for once?' Smirking at the thought, yet easilly dismissing it, for Miroku behaved in such an almost-deranged manner concerning women that it seemed unlikely that Sango would look at him with the slightest hint of interest. 'Not in honest, at least!' he thought with a mental image of the two of them acting like sweethearts... Now that stroke him as out of place!

Finally reaching for the shutters, he pulled them back, darkening the room in a very comfortable way. Once again turning around, this time facing his two companions whom he slept with last night, he grinned widely, admitting to himself that they should find a way to make a match out of the two, just like Kagome had tried in the past.

It was like this that Kagome saw him, looking at them intently yet good-naturedly. She looked around a little to understand why was it so dark, and when she realised what had happened, she yawned hugely. Slightly dizzy from the sleep that she had just gotten off, she picked up the tiny youkai, wrapping her arms around his cute and young, though not frail, body in an unconscious, instictively maternal way, effectively plastering an even wider grin on his face, getting closer with every small step.

"Good morning, love. Sleep well?" she asked, Shippou being so small and clinging so close to her that had he lacked his youkai appearance he could pass for a child of hers. Inuyasha's heart skipped a bit at the image, his pride and joy at the thought of children, their children, filling it to the brim...

"Hai. You, darling?" he questioned in turn, giving a quick peck at her lips with his own.

"Aa... You two helped me a lot yesterday. Arigato..." she said, answering to his previous, quick kiss, with a softer, a bit more drawn one.

"It seems the little fellow from here slept quite soundly, considering how worried he seemed last night. He keeps impressing me with his abiltity to sleep anywhere anytime. I wonder if there is a record concerning how much time you sleep or have slept..." This got a low giggle form Kagome, Shippou slightly stirring in his slumber.

"Tell me, though, do you know where Sango-chan and Miroku-sama have gone? Have you seen them?"

"Ne, they must have left us so we could rest easilly." Kagome had a grumpy look on her face, brows somewhat furrowed at what she was thinking. Inuyasha continued. "Do you think we will be able to turn these two, stubborn, single, little people into a couple someday?"

"Maybe. In a couple of millions of years."

"It's not like you to let them not find the love each one has for the other... And if you feel discouraged at all, my help could both cheer you up and get each other closer, right?" he reasoned.

"Hmm..." Kagome made a mockingly thoughtful face, just as if considering his deal. "I don't know, your 'help' might as well be more of a problem than you think... Just, Inuyasha, you don't have to rouse yourself at such a small thing." At her ego-soothing words, Inuyasha's nose started its trek back down to its original place.

Only to lower to her nose.

It was yet another 'teaser'. A soft, swift stroke of his lips over her own, just to tell her he understood, and loved her, no matter hi manners from time to time. And it worked, not just for the lurching heat in her cheast, but for the deep bond they shared, a bond of love; and blood, as it now was. An obligation and joy at the same time... strengthening this already steel strong connection between the two.

Lifting his gaze for only a moment to revel at her azure eyes, he once again lowered his head, this kiss more assuring and loving, as they begged him for affection. Something he definitely could not resist.

But luck didn't seem to be their way. The two of them quickly broke the kiss as Inuyashalooked out of the door and into the woods, the petit kitsune wiggling from his perch, almost grabbing at her shirt, the 'reek' of a certain youkai faintly reaching Inuyasha's nostrils. And he for once had to thank this youkai's insolent attitude for that.

Kouga seemed to be awfully worked up.

* * *

Miroku was once again behind a bush.

Well, he was not merely behind a bush, and not peeking either! He was behind a bush and wondering about a thing or two.

Like if he should stop peeking on Sango. His head seemed more than a little achy from all his travels with the two less than tolerant ladies. Not that he thought of his actions as acceptable, much less appropriate, but headaches are never a nice thing to deal with, especially whenever thinking hard.

It was rather awkward for everyone, actually... While Inuyasha used to show his feelings, or at least hide them, quite dramatically, thus looking rather ticked off if not scary to the death, Miroku was almost always unbarebly calm! No emotions marred his face, except for some pretty tense or sentimental moments, blank for the world to look at, unreadable. One of the few aspects of this figure's perconality that could still make most people who knew Miroku believe that he actually had been trained as a Budhist monk.

His fighting style and mystical powers gave off too, of course, but his perverted thinking when women were involved was very effective at drawing other people's attention away from them rather easy...

"What is your concern now, Houshi-sama? Worried about becoming a god-father, are you?" Sango querried.

"Not really. I suppose you have been asked to be a god-mother as well, am I right?" Sango nodded in a smiling face. "Hai!"

She would not had she known what was Miroku going to ask...

"So, would it not be good for the child, or children, to have a god-brother or sister as well?"

An eerie silence fell for just a second, right before Hiraikotsu fell on the monk's head, before he fell to the ground.  
(AN: 3 were 'felled'... I thought this was no action fic or anything! sigh...)

"Ite, ite, ite... What did I do?!" Seriously, should one come up dfter any one time Miroku had the superb idea to act or talk in this special manner of his and during the punishment enacted, they would certainly support the 'helpless, innocent monk'... Only to go on with such mannerisms if they knew him better.

A deep growl rumbled deep down from within Sango's cheast, warning Miroku of his mistake. "Hentai! Don't you dare say such a thing again!" Sango stepped away from him, considering his manners and her feelings.

'Gods, how can I love this man? He is such a hentai! And flat-headed, and a pain, and gorgeous, and...' At her deliberate attempt to stirr him out of her mind, she only managed to get herself a bit embarrassed at her fantasies about Miroku... 'Why I, of all women, should ever fall for you, Miroku-chan?'

"What is it, Sango-sama? You look... concerned."

Sango shook her head to clear her mind and gather her thoughts. When she was satisfied with the results: "It's nothing, Houshi-sama, really nothing. I am just a bit worried with the turn of things..." Her head bowed a little, trying to hide her eyes beneath her long banks, as they started to slightly sting at the sides...

"Don't worry, Sango-sama, everything will be alright, I am sure of that. Should there be a problem of any sort, we will be able to help."

Sango was startled, her head snapping involuntarily up, not as much at his words but at his hand resting on her shoulder. He actually patted it in a comforting way, but his hand never went below it! She was trully surprised.

Until she realised that he might have thought of something else...

"I don't believe you could ever think of peeking and groping on Kagome while she would be having problem giving birth!" She said, Hiraikotsu raised in a very tempting way... For Sango, at least.

"Nani?! Mou, Sango-sama, I didn't mean anything even close to that!"

"Houshi-sama, is it me or has anything in particular made you somewhat nicer?"

Miroku blushed a deep crimson as he coughed out: "Ne, ahem, I... ah, don't know, I think... ahh..."

At that point, Miroku and Sango felt a flow of youki through Inuyasha's forrest.

"Someone has come..." Miroku pointed out.

* * *

"Get your hands off her NOW, inukkoro! And take that whining little kit out of my woman too."

Inuyasha tensed once again at his words. Sometimes like this one he would really like to finish this stupid, stubborn youkai! They were officially mated in THREE ways, damn him, could he not just get it? 'Arrogant, selfish bastard...'

"I said NOW, damn half-breed inu!"

"Ne, Kouga. I will never leave her, do you understand? If you want to find a bitch, do so, but Kagome and I belong to each other, got it?"

"I said.."

"I don't give a DAMN about what YOU said!"

"I..."

Kagome was getting pissed off at Kouga's arrogant words, her patience reaching its break limit. "I don't care! 'My woman' this and 'my woman' that... I, as I have already said, am his mate, you know?!" Kagome was red, because of being both angry and embarrassed.

She could not get another word any faster, as Kouga reached over to him, while Inuyasha let go of her, so that he could defend everyone still inside against the savage that the youkai had turned into after what he felt in Kagome's scent.

The final clash between the two seemed it had just began...

* * *

Another chapter has met its tragic end. Sniff! Well, more of those heart-melting reviews may help me write faster. (_O.o`

BONG! "ITE! Sango-san, you are going to pay for this!" O~O "Ne, lower Hiraikotsu, Sango-san?" Whirl. "Gyaaa!"

"Baka yaro! If you bring Houshi-sama back to his normal hentai self, prepare to die!" Sango blushes, waves at the direction of you, the present otaku, then leaves the crime scene, Hiraikotsu casually slung over her shulder...

Ite... Anyway, everyone who finds out what the strange smiley at the end of the first after-the-end-of-the-chapter comment was for wins the right to ask a question or two concerning the plot twists to come... ^v^

My God, you people are GOOD! Never thought you were going to figure out all these things at once! I nearly fell of my chair when I read the first reviews for the previous chapter... Sesshoumarou won't show up just yet, but Kouga and Miroku/Sango stuff were making me crasy with being put up, and considering some requests I chose to put them up at last.  
And my apologies... Typographical errors (aka typos) are the result of me not using MS Word, since I find that its saving and/or exporting techniques place a lot of junk data in the final document (anyone who has seen the source of any .htm file saved under Word knows what I am talking about!) and thus am writing without grammary/dictionary software. I trully put a lot of effort on correcting any possible mistakes I 've made, but I certainly am far from perfect. Furthermore, english is not my mother tongue, which may have resulted in confusion between British English and American English. Secondly, I am really sorry for making any misunderstanding in previous chapters. From now on, whenever I find something too vague or confusing I will try my best to correct it.  
Especially to you that have posed any questions:  
1. This story has not yet ended. I haven't finished with it, have I?  
2. Kagome does not know if the babies (should there be more than one) will live after the birth, since she won't give birth in a clinic, as I've already said, but in private property (the couple's house, the family shrine or whatever).  
3. Well, suppose you probably were pregnant with more than child, very young and lacked confidence. Would you not be worried?  
4. I know I put a lot of stuff in one sentence. It is my writing nemesis! Apart from being a series killer of spelling, that is...


	12. Of pain and love

Author's Note:  
I am honoured by your patience and grateful for your support. Thank you! -_-,  
As usual, the note is posted at the end of the chapter...  
One last thing: this chapter has some violence and action/adventure part. I am sorry for those of you who do not appreciate that kind of story, but there is no way this could be left out. Only two days have gone by since Kouga learned, you know!

Chapter 12  
Of pain and love...

Inuyasha let Kagome go and cast a dark look at Kouga's direction. 'Can that fool never understand where his place in the world is?' Snarling in anger, fangs showing themselves, and a deep, dangerously sustained growl sounding from his cheast, he barked at Kouga his demand.

"You will leave this place and us when the battle's over; got it, baka?"

Kouga cast him an arrogant smirk. "We shall see who beats the other..."

That only managed to make Inuyasha's emotions flare, seathing his heart in flames. "Baka yaro! Tempt me and you will not have a chance to leave!"

Kouga's smirk was wiped out of his face at these words. "Do you think you can beat me, wortless hanyou? I will rip you in half, tear your heart out of your DEAD body and give it to my clan to feed upon!"

"Big words to come out of your mouth, lousy wolf... Forgot already you have no shards to give you the speed to defeat me?" It was Inuyasha's turn to smirk.

Only to have his own smirk wiped out after Kouga's impossibly fast charge. 'How can that be?! Kouga has never been that fast on his own!' Inuyasha run the back of his hand over his lips, blood smudging all over it.

"What trick is this, Kouga?" Inuyasha demanded. Kouga responded with a wild, feral cry leaving his mouth.

At that moment, Miroku and Sango arrived at the village, both very worried after they heard the first cries of anger.

But their initial expressions were nothing to the pale, numb look on Miroku's face as he turned his head to rest on one particular person: Kouga.

'There is a strange, strong magic flowing around him... Is it possible he had a spell cast for him?' His question was answered when Kagome came near to them, a now awakened Shippou in her arms, both startled and almost panicked. "Miroku! Thank you, Gods above! We need your help! Kouga has gotten unbelievably fast!"

Miroku cast a thoughtful look at Shippou's direction, not wnating her to see his face. 'So, that's it...' Regaining his trademark blank expression, he turned to Kagome. "Kouga is under a powerful spell. I do not know what has he done, but we must all fight by Inuyasha's side if we want to get over this without having Inuyasha beaten badly."

Inuyasha's anger didn't allow him to think clearly, making him snap at Miroku. "DON'T you DARE interfere, got it, bouzu? He had challenged me far too many times." His eyes suddenly narrowed, a hint of crimson diffusing through them, turning their amber to a light orange. "What I need you to do is protect Kagome and Shippou, ne? You, Miroku-sama and Sango-sama can defend yourselves, but they are not that good in melee battle."

Both very surprised with Inuyasha reffering to them in such a respectful tone, they could only nod and try to get the two they had under their protection somewhere safer.

Until Kouga made a sudden move. "Not a fucking chance, you hear me?" As this words reached the four retreating figures, only Kagome's eyes not turned to their path, but trying to catch a glimpse of Inuyasha, a startled gasp was heard.

Kouga was running towards Kagome.

Inuyasha run to protect her form the raging youkai, not knowing what the fool might have in mind. He could try to escape with her, or...

Not wanting to even think of what might Kouga have in his mind, he charged after him, his own bent on saving his true love from the stupid wolf. But Kouga had a plan in his head.

As Inuyasha neared him, thinking only of saving Kagome, Kouga turned his reaching, clawed hand, clencing it into a fist, and bringing it around... to connect with Inuyasha's temple.

A loud, dry crack was heard, and Kagome turned around, her body tensing at the sound still resonating through her ears. As Inuyasha staggered only for a moment, mumbling a soft "Gomen", then fell to the ground, she could not tear her gaze from his body, lips quivering, tears spilling under her panicking eyes.

An impossibly high and loud shriek, yet murky with pain and bitterness, completely incoherent because of the agony wreching her mind, rung throughout the forest, his forest. "IIEEE!!!"

Her three companions dropped to the ground because of her shout, the ki emanating through her body reaching a level unknown for her. Sango looked with grief written allover her face from Inuyasha to her friend's tense form, Kagome running to get to his side, while Miroku looked in disbelief. 'Ohh, shiit!' Fortunately enough, Shippou had lost consciousness after he saw Kouga's fist meet Inuyasha's head.

Looking over to where Kagome knelt just beside Inuyasha, incoherent cries of pain and grief, mourning for her lost mate, he told the taijiya: "Kouga should not have done that... he is going to pay a hefty price for it!"

Sango could only cast a teary look at the houshi's direction. "How can you say such things?! And what do you mean,by the way?" Miroku smiled bitterly at her before answering her question. "You shall see..." And with that. he turned his gaze once again towards the miko whom they all cared for so deeply, who was now lost to the world...

Kouga looked at her with disgust. "You are mine, Kagome; MY woman. You will now come with me." Strangely enough, Sango thought, he seemed to tense all of a sudden.

Then he flew through the air, banging against a tree, seathed in purple, pinkish flames, as was Kagome's right arm, who looked as if it had pushed him...

A loud gasp escaped the surprised taijiya's lips. "Miroku, is that one of her miko powers?" Miroku nodded, his face more blank AND pale than ever, yet his eyes were burning with the desire to see Kouga get what he asked for. "Kagome had saved herself on one occasion or another because of them. Like when she burned the centipede's arms with nohing but a touch. Kouga is much stronger than that youkai, ofcourse, but he has..." Miroku could not utter the dreaded word. "...harmed her lifemate, her husband, and she is more than eager to kill Kouga for what grief and pain he had brought to her... Don't forget that they have only recently got to be together like a couple; would you not feel more aggarvated should you lose your love in such a short time?"

"I see your point, and to tell you the truth, I believe she's even angrier because of how many times she has literaly saved the baka from Inuyasha... I think she is even blaming herself for what happened!"

Miroku nodded as Kagome lifted from the ground nearing on Kouga. "We shall see soon enough..."

By the time Kagome reached Kouga, he had still not shaken off the hit he had received, he was rather winded, actually. He had an awful fit of vertigo, and the pink flames, dancing before his very eyes, were not very helpful either. He raised his head to look at Kagome. The only thing he managed to notice were her tear-stained cheeks, her blazing eyes and the pink-sheathed hand reaching for his head. "Kagome..."

"You will pay for what you did, you son of a bitch!" Kagome cried out, her voice loud with rage, even louder when he swore at him. Grabbing the front of his hair, she urged him to stand up, while breaking one of his claws with her fingers, pricking her finger and tearing deep through her flesh... but the yelp she got out of Kouga was as good a reward as she could get.

Smiling in a hallow, blood-curdling manner, she spoke up. "You shall live through what Inuyasha did... but there will be no reincarnation of mine to love you, you insolent, arrogant youkai. I would like you to burn in Hell, but someone else will grant me that wish. It will be wonderful to see you in agony, as you will try to release yourself from my seal..." Kouga's eyes grew large, as Kagome held him still with her powers, while wrapping one end of her napkin around his claw. When she finished, she chanted something that Kouga could not make out and dug the claw into his heast, breaking the skin.

But Kagome did not stop pushing until the claw had slightly pricked his heart.

Kouga's body tensed all of a sudden, and before his eyelids closed, he said in a shaky voice: "How could you..." And with that, Kouga fell silent, sealed leaning on a tree.

Kagome wrenched herself off Kouga, her once again frail form shaking terribly, and turned around to rest her gaze upon Inuyasha. "My love... why... why... WHYYY?"

And with that, she left the world of conscousness just like Shippou.

But Miroku and Sango could only gasp at the sight in front of their eyes:

Had Inuyasha trully moved?!

* * *

Well, sorry for scaring you to death, but I wanted this chapter to be melancholic... I apologise to all of you who didn't want to readsomething as heart-breaking as this.

Now, to answer your questions:  
1. No, I do not write everything because of being requested for, it's just when I think it's right time that I actually put anything into the story; yet some requests may remind me of something I have forgotten.  
2. You were right about my ne/iie mistake. I will correct any mistake I have found. I repeat I am not using any spelling/grammar correction software, and I am really sorry for the mistakes. Point taken...  
3. I am Greek. Thus my mother tongue is greek. @.@ (Duh!)

See you soon!


	13. Heed not your hurt heart

Author's Note:  
Spoiler: It seems some of you thought that I had "killed" Inuyasha... Shame on you! (Just kidding.) Truly now, I don't think I could ever do such a thing...  
As for your questions in reviews... Since I am so awful at remembering names, I would be a good idea to email me whenever you will want to ask a specific question that drives you nuts! Otherwise you can wait till I update to see if I answered yours...  
Yes, I am going to use MS Word after all to correct any grammar/spelling errors, begining from Chapter 1...

Chapter 13  
Heedeth not thy hurt heart...  
Pain must thou now thwart...

Miroku felt he had to gather his thoughts, for Sango was awfully shocked, apparently unable to react to what had just happened. She would mumble something like "Waht of the poor babies?", but she wasn't making any move.

'Let me think... Kouga snaps at Inuyasha. They are about to get on with their fight when Kouga just HAD to have this plan of faking him hurting Kagome, making Inuyasha drop his defences in order to protect her...' The monk winced unknowingly, his almost unwavering mask of no feelings whatsoever failing for just a moment. 'Concentrate, Miroku, this is not going to help you figure out how to help them all... They cannot help themselves, and Sango-sama might as well be having a flashback of the masacre in her village!' He could not help himself casting a weary in the taijiya's direction, his lips curling bitterly all the while. He could not put his finger on it, but he felt he wasn't completely off-target.

Thinking once again of the more important issues at hand, he patted Sango lightly on the shoulder, a weak, innocent smile grazing his features. "Sango-sama, do you think you could be able to go and take Shippou-chan with you to the village to inform Kaede-sama? I'll take care of everything else, you should stay there for a while. I will try my best to help Kagome under control of the tragedy that has befallen her... You can come when you feel ready to help her."

Sango was very startled at the monk's reaction to the whole incident, some voice deep in her mind douibting her sanity for supposedly hallucinating, while another seemed more than eager to make the first one shut up and her do what Miroku had so naturally suggested. Shaking her head in frustration, she reluctantly walked along the field and wrapped her arms around Shippou, absentmindedly picking him off the ground to rest his head on her left shoulder, driven only by instincts. Turning her back to the dreaded clearing, she cast an exhausted glance of her own at Miroku. Getting nearer to the monk, she hugged him with one arm, tears spilling of her eyes as she spoke in a dry whisper. "Arigato, Houshi-sama..." And with those words she let him go, leaning over to kiss his right cheek, then left for Kaede's hut. To let her mind drift...

Miroku's now wide eyes followed her slightly swaying form until she was finally gone, raising his clothe-wrapped right hand to touch the tingling mount of flesh... Taking his mind off any thoughts of him and Sango being together almost painfully, looking once again at the mess that his friends had come to, Miroku's facade could not hold any longer. His lower lip hang low, trembling at the thought of what might have befallen them, wanting nothing more than to make sure they were alright...

But how could they ever be? Inuyasha's temple must have caved in after the hit that had been dealt, an injury none could overcome. Even if he survived, Buddha knows how, would he still be the same? Or would he become deranged in whatever way fate reserved for him? No, he would not survive such a punch. However painful it was to accept it, Inuyasha had certainly perished...

Leaving a problem he could not solve alone to get done with things he could, he paced over to where Kagome slumped on the ground. Beads of sweat had formed on his forehead, cold, annoying sweat, its reek making him want to leave everything behind and run the hell out of this wreched place... Controling himself, he knelt beside Kagome and produced a waterskin from somewhere in his robes, screwing off the lid and resting his friends head on a small stack of soft, green leaves and wet grass... 'Guess you will have to shower afterwards...' was his bitter, nonsensical thought. Lowering the skin to her lips, he dropped a little water on her tongue to moisten her mouth, then springled a few drops on her closed eyelids and forehead, shaking her of her stupor. He run the back of his "gloved" hand over his face to wipe out the sweat that covered it.

"Ungh!" Looking at Miroku, then turning around to make sure everything was just a dream, only to have her hopes shuttered to pieces, Kagome lifted her body off the grass, her legs ready to buckle. But she used all of her will power to get off the ground and to Inuyasha's side... She stumbled all the way there, Miroku helping her all the while, supporting her weight as much as he could. When they reached the fallen hanyou, Kagome knelt next to him, raising his rigth hand to her lips and kissing it, then grinding it to her cheek or squeesing it to her cheast, or running her free hand through his silver mane, tears flowing freely down her face and staining them and her clothes, mumbling whatever... Finally she lowered her head, closing on his own, locking her mouth to his, letting all of her agony out in this desperate need to feel him again... When she broke the one-sided kiss, she raised her head, her forehead touching his chin as she once again lowered her head, while the rest of her remained still. When she finally seemed to realise he was dead, she snapped her eyes shut, sobbing so awfully that Miroku averted his gaze...

Again, a disturbing matter nagged the back of his mind, urging him to understand how had Kouga such a spell on him. 'Since it seems to be a spell of purely beneficial nature, he must have had it cast on him. The question is... the question is: who would ever help him? Kikyou has already been avenged and crumbled to dust... Naraku has gone to hell and should he had not, I doubt even that fool would have made a pact with him. Kouga does not seem to have any allies that would help him with strong magic such as this too...' Having a strange idea all of a sudden, he looked up at the sky, a thoughtful expression plastered on his face.

'What if Kouga simply asked someone acquainted with magic to help him? But who would ever help him in such a cause?' Really annoyed at these questions popping out of nowhere inside his mind, he tried to think of how could the damned- 'No, sealed!' he thought with a mental grin- youkai have convinced anyone, even the greatest moron of all, to carry out his request.

Until everything clicked into place.

'But of course! Houshi and miko can only read your thoughts, they cannot experience the facts first-hand... Had Kouga been absolutely sure- Like he wasn't!- that Kagome truly was his woman, the mind reader would believe the same thing!'

"Hafth thou reached any conclusions, Miroku?" Kaede stood beside the two.

"Kaede-sama, I am so glad you are here! Can you help me a little with..." He didn't end his phrase but nodded towards Kagome's weeping form. Kaede shook her head. "Time give her, then all right will she be... As much as one can be, that is."

Miroku nodded, still unsure of what way could she help her in. "Will you... inspect him? I am not sure, but I think he moved..."

At these words, Kagome raised her head to see in Miroku's eyes. "Y...you are telling the truth, right?! He has moved?" For the first time, her spirits seemed to lift somewhat; only to be squashed by reason. "But that's impossible! How... who could ever..." Kagome was lost, thoughts and denial jumbled together in a nauseating manner. "He could heal this, right? But no, he was hooked at the temple! Oh Gods!" Kagome had another fit of uncontrollable sobbing, as she looked at Inuyasha; blood had formed a small pond as it had flown from the side of his head. Clutching her stomach, Kagome rose to her feet. Excuse me, but I..." With this words, Kagome left the two and run out of the glade, crying non-stop.

As Kaede lowered her head in sympathy before walking over to Inuyasha, Miroku piped in. "Funny, didn't remember Kouga hurting his hand during the battle..."

Kaede shrugged it off. "That must be the claw Kagome has broken off his finger..."

But Miroku looked very curious about it. "I tell you this is not his broken claw; it's his... knuckles?" He sounded very excited about his last exclamation... Before Kaede had turned her back to him to look over Inuyasha, he had already run to his friend's side and moved Inuyasha's hair out of the way.

Loud laughter echoed throughout the forest. A relieved, yet jolting laughter...

What was the most surprising was the fact that it was coming out of the mouth of a monk that had what seemed to be one of his closest friends' dead body lieing down in front of him!

Kaede backed a step or two away from Miroku. "Hafth thou lost all sense, Houshi-sama?! Mourning Kagome was a while not ago, yet such despicable cries of joy thou let roll out of thy mouth!" Miroku tried his best and the hysterical laughter had finally subsided. "But how, can I not cry in joy, when that wolf, thank Buddha for not making him clever, had not hit Inuyasha DIRECTLY at the temple? He has punched him on the side of his head, making him lose a lot of blood as he cut the flesh in that part; it seems he lost consciousness. Inuyasha may actually live!"

* * *

I don't know if that makes sense, but this CAN be a severe case of concussion... Anyway, that particular area on the head has many vains and arteries running through it.

Replies to reviews:  
1. Baklava?! ROFLMAO!!! Seriously, I prefer what we call galaktoboureko; it's like cheese-pie in concept, but instead of cheese it is stuffed with a cream of milk, eggs, butter, sugar and semolina, and you pour sirop all over it when it is done. Yum!  
2. No, I really think you went rather far with your compliments, SilberEngel... I don't think I am that good, honestly... Thank you, though, for your kind words. The same goes for you, guys!

Oh, the knuckle-thingy has once occured to a close friend of mine: they were sparring (Kung Fu), and his opponent thrust his fist to my friend's forehead... only to break his fingers!

I would also be glad if you would suggest me any stories you like or have written. There are so many of them that you can't possibly find them all on your own... Not me, at least!


	14. Hold my hand

Author's Note:  
Sorry for not updating any time sooner! Blocked a little... I must say that I initially thought of including a good, long close-up of Kagome caring for Inuyasha's wound, yet I think this is nice, I have not "borrowed" it from some other author and it matches my demand for going on with more interesting parts!

Yep, although nothing is going on at the moment, Kagome's point of view is tragic... in the begining.

Disclaimer: the band "Rage" is the legitimate owner of the song "Days of December"; Takahashi Rumiko is the legitimate owner of "Inuyasha: A Feudal Fairytale" and all of its characters. (Written at last. ^-^ )

Chapter 14  
Hold my hand...

Kagome run away from the clearing whose image had been branded on her mind. Or his image to be precise... Skitting through fallen timber and broken branches, leaping over any small drop or whatever other obstacle, she kept running away, her arms flailing all around her fleeing, shaking form... She did hear an awkward sound after a while, but she didn't pay any real attention. The only thing she wanted was to stop thinking, thus she released all of her agony in a mad man's sprint...

Leaving a silver trail of salty droplets behind her.

A tree root that jouted out of the grass caught Kagome's foot, flinging her to the ground. Eyes shut, she braced herself against against the soil, the jarring fall interrupting all of her attempts to not start thinking of the fight that Kouga had began, the fake attack, then the wretched wolf hitting Inuyasha...

And a loud, dry, cracking sound.

No longer able to shield off the feelings that were battering her mental defences, Kagome felt a swooping sensation running through her as she fell to the ground. Rolling from one side to another, finally resting on her back, she felt her stomach convulging and a knot in her throat, once again whimpering incoherently. "Iiieee... Inuuyashaa... Iinuyashaa..."

After a while, numbness veiled her mind, her conscience balancing in a delicate limbo, not completely aware of everything, yet not distant. Until a cherry blossom fell on top of her left shoulder... Picking it up with her right hand she stared at it for a long minute. "Sakura... they seem so much like snow when they fall, ne?" That spoken aloud thought reminded her of one of her favourite melancholic songs...

A soft, mourning voice rose over the deadly silent forest, in a language unknown to the land and its people.

The clouds have prepared for rain and storm.  
The chill of the wind has frozen all the pain.  
I know in my room it's dry and warm,  
but I cannot stand to scan the walls in vain.

White and wonderful the snow covers my hair.  
I reach out but you're not there.

In the days of December,   
I'm lonely ever since you're gone.  
In the night I remember   
your frozen hands that kept me warm.  
In the days of December. 

I've never seen sense in future plans.  
I know that the time will make it up somehow.  
But God, how I miss you, there's no words  
to tell you how it looks inside myself now.

Cold and beautiful,   
Your vision in the ice.   
I reach out but you're not there.

In the days of December,   
I'm lonely ever since you're gone.  
In the night I remember   
your frozen hands that kept me warm.  
In the days of December.

By the end of her singing she heard a sigh and a rustling of leaves from her left, making her turn her head to look upon the standing figure. Her sight still somewhat blurry from crying, she raised her left hand and wipped the last remaining moisture off her eyes. "Houshi-sama?"

Miroku neared her, a soft smile covering his face. "Yes, Kagome-sama, it is me." Coughing in an attempt to get over the uneasiness that had so abruptly got hold of him, not knowing how had it happened, he spoke up. "That was very... dark yet soft to listen to... What was it? I have never heard anything like it."

Sitting crosslegged, Kagome looked at the monk with an almost blank stare; not as void as Kikyo's, yet a bit distant. "It was a song I know of. The lyrics were in english, a western language, because the artists who wrote it come from a land far to the west, beyond Sesshomarou's realm. That is the reason you have not understood it." She translated the song to him, not caring for rhyme as much as to translate what the lyrics ment.

Taking notice of her condition, aware of her getting just a little better- 'Determination, probably...'- he spoke up. "I have good news, my lady..." Before Kagome could even raise a hopeful glance over where he stood, Miroku piped in. "Inuyasha's alive!"

Kagome got off the ground and run over to Miroku. "Thank you, Houshi-sama!" The poor monk winced in pain at her tight grip... "It was nothing really, I had to come tell you, ne?" Pulling herself away from her friend, she told him: "Go now... I guess Sango and Shippou should also learn the news. I going to him now." And then she left. Miroku looked at her direction only for a moment, a small, content smile on his face, then walked to the village.

* * *

Kaede turned around. By the time she noticed anything, a blur has gotten past her and stood by Inuyasha's side. She easilly associated the blur with the young miko herself.

"I am glad that thou hafth come back. I take it that Houshi-sama informed thee of thy husband's condition." Kagome nodded her head, then bowed at her direction. "Dõmo arigato gosaimasu, Kaede-bachan..."

Kaede looked bewildered; when she realised what was the reason she was thanking her so much, she spoke to her. "Kagome-sama, I would have noticed eventually, but it was Houshi-sama who did." Surprised at what she heard, Kagome raised her head. "Kouga has hit Inuyasha's face on the side of his brow mostly, not his temple. That sure is some hurt thy husband has, since all that blood flows through there, yet it is not as much an injury as it would have been had he reached the temple. Even the blood Inuyasha-sama has lost is not too much."

Kagome looked once again at her husband's form, realising that there was sense in their words. The pool of the thick, scarlet black liquid had not increased a lot in size. Reaching for his fine silver locks of hair, trembling at what was she going to see, she pushed one aside. She noticeably winced.

Underneath the pulled-aside strand was an awful, pinkish red mark with rust-red flecks, as Kouga had cut him deeply. It had certainly started healing, but Inuyasha would need some time to overcome this injury... And he was probably having a concussion.

* * *

After a few minutes, Miroku arrived at the village. Most of the people were avoiding looking at him, while few looked at him with anticipation. 'Have they not been helped by Inuyasha-sama in the past? Has he not protected them from things he could simply let sweep them away? Some baka yaro... Whatever you are, they don't understand what is going on around them...' Casting another glance at their direction, he noticed their expressions were not hard and harsh, but soft and... caring? 'It seems I was wrong about "them". But what is it that makes them look at me like that?'

Not very much easy with the idea they knew something more to sympathise with him, he straightened up and went on his way. To Kaede's hut.

Lifting his right hand, the bead of his rosary gleaming in a streak of sunlight that seemed somewhat out of place, he moved away the courtain that "blocked" the entrance. "Sango-sama?" He heard no answer, but walked beyond the threshold anyway, fully aware now that she was nowhere near the hut. 'Where are you?'

The images of what had happened since the morning: the challenge, the fight, Inuyasha's injury, Kagome's grief and... and Sango's kiss, involuntarily flooding his thoughts, he could not help but picture what could between him and Sango. What would happen should they match? He didn't actually need the rosary, keeping both as a memoir and his trademark "gauntlet", but these thoughts simply kept making him feel not like talking to her about his feelings. The years before it was his curse. Now it was his inability to use anything beside his mystical powers as a houshi or his strong build and martial arts. He was more insecure than he seemed to be. What if he died?

Remembering Sango kissing his cheek, he raised his right hand and touched the offending mound of flesh on his face, a small tremble going up his spine. He wondered how would it feel, Sango kissing his lips. "Sango-chan..."

"What is it, Houshi-sama?"

Miroku turned around, panicking at the sound of Sango's voice, wearing his non-emotional mask just in time. "Oi, cough, Sango-sama, I bring good news and ah... came to tell you of them, but you were not here." He noticed the taijiya's hair cascading, wet mass.

Shippou came in at that moment, jumping on her shoulders. "So, you finished your bath! I want to speak with you, Sango-chan." Suddenly aware that Sango's gaze was fixed somewhere else, he looked at the direction she was looking at. 'In such a sorrowful tone, might I add.' Finally noticing Miroku, he greeted him. "Hello, Miroku-sama."

"Oi, Shippou, I think you should hear this too. Inuyasha-sama is not dead." Shippou wished he had escaped before Sango crashed on Miroku chest, the heartful embrace squeesing one of his little paws flat, while Houshi felt like he was in paradise... especially with her breasts pressed so tight against him, to tell the truth.

* * *

The following three days had been bad for Inuyasha. He healed pretty fast, that was true, but he was hit badly by a youkai, with a spell cast on him for that. He was much better even after the first day, but he didn't much like the idea of being taken care of. He was very glad to know that Kouga had been sealed and that Kagome was not particularly eager to break the seal any time soon...

When Inuyasha was completely healed, he got by the Goshinboku and stood beside it, looking at its huge trunk, then fell in one more of his trance-like meditative stances. His ears flickered forth as he spoke out softly. "Come beside me, koibito."

The nearing rustle of leaves and her scent told him that he should relax his stance so that he could embace her as she lowered to lean against his chest. When she had finally settled, he brought one of his legs in a knee-up position so that he could support her back, then wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to him as he stroke her soft midnight black hair. "Aishiteru, Inuyasha..." "Aishiteru, Kagome..."

Suddenly raising her head, she touched his lips with the tips of her fingers, then traced his cheeks and jaw with them. "I was so scared, Inuyasha... I didn't know what to do! Everything felt just so... fickle and... frail!"

"It's OK, my love... I am here now, everything's alright."

"You know I don't really think I will ever break that seal, ne?"

"I knew from the moment you said you were going to do it immediately."

The distance between the two became shorter and shorter, their lips parting on their own while their eyes closed instinctively, as the two were losing focus of everything around them. Until their mouths met, their focus closed on each other, the unique feeling of each other's tongue against their own making them almost faint yet not...

When they felt they would trully faint out of lack of air, they reluctantly pulled away of their union. Both dreamy faced, Inuyasha made her wrap her legs around his waist, then jumped up the tree, once again assuming their previous positioning. Kagome improvised as the two were falling asleep:

"I know in my room it's warm and dry,  
but I cannot stay without thee, can I?"

* * *

I hope you like it and this is not dissapointing after such a long delay... @_@


	15. Finding yourself within another

Author's Note:  
It's me again! I am sorry all of this came up, also for not making any more action for those of you who like it in the previous chapters and for darkening the theme for those who would prefer a lighter one... I always write based on what my imagination brings next, even if I do have a rather vague, I have to admit, plan in mind.

This is late actually, but I hope you will like the next chapters. This story will no longer have any other description other than "romance", since humor appears from time to time now, making the reference rather obsolete.

Chapter 15  
Finding yourself within another.

It took them all a while, but almost everything went back to normal, however slow that was. The two lovebirds were still making Shippou feel a bit uncomfortable, but he was with his foster parents, so he did feel better. Even though the two were not too eager to admit it, both him and Inuyasha were glad to see each other again; Kagome was naturally terribly happy they got over this last adventure. All this was normal, of course.

Inuyasha and Kagome were going to have their baby/~ies in less than seven months, which resulted in a lot of preperation and stuff to take place in the village. Inuyasha, Miroku and a few men built a small cottage for the couple, while Kagome, Sango, Kaede and some women set down on knitting and stuff. Most people helped in one way or the other.

Both of them were unaware of it, but the villagers were thinking of the couple as some sort of lord and lady of theirs. They were important figures, after all, and very powerful.

Miroku, though, was not happy. He felt content for his friend's recovery and their deep love, but... Every now and then, he would turn to watch the young taijiya, sighing somewhat loudly for his usual self.

Kagome wanted to make a match of the two as much as ever, yet she could not find a good opportunity. Inuyasha did not know what to do with them either. One night, when the couple got in bed to sleep, Inuyasha could not help himself but overhear Kagome's soft sigh. "What is it, my love?"

Kagome gazed at the ceiling. "How are we ever going to get Miroku and Sango together? They don't seem like wanting to make a move at all!"

"But you told me that Sango loves Miroku. What does she have to stand back for?"

She turned around huffing in annoyance. "She does love him, that's for sure, but he has managed to make her not want to talk about it!"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Like that time with the painting and the ladies, and the one in the forest, right?"

His mate nodded in turn. "And it seems she is reluctant to open up..."

She sure did not expect what came up next. "So does he." was Inuyasha's soft reply.

"What do you mean?! How could that perverted monk of a friend we have ever have a problem talking to a woman to join him?" He easilly realised that sarcasm was dripping caustic out of her mouth.

"Seriously, Kagome! You shouldn't pick up that much from me!"

Kagome smiled innocently at him. "I know, but some times, when you are not hurting someone, it is fun to do so! Anyway, what did you mean by that? I really don't think Miroku would ever hesitate speaking to a woman, a beatiful one too, to become his wife, or a bear his child for that! It does not sound so much like Miroku..."

Inuyasha blushed a little. "He acts so much like I did, in a way..."

That caught her attention. "You mean, he does not feel sure about it?! You are kidding me, right?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "No, I am not. I believe he feels he is not good enough for her or maybe that he should not go on or something like that... Think about it, the only thing he ever does and hurts us is his gropping and perverted thoughts. Have you really not noticed he has actually even stopped acting like that?!"

Kagome was deep in thought. "Hmm, do you mean he is actually thinking of how should he act from now on? But you told me he hesitates!"

"That's the reason he does not want to do anything too bad! He had grabbed Sango's bu... cough, behind, when we arrived, probably because he could not help himself. Sort of a temptation for Miroku, don't you think?"

Kagome sighed sweatdropping. "That's true... I am surprised he has been nice for THAT long! But you haven't finished, have you?"

"The point is that, should Miroku ever choose to advance with her, he shouldn't act too much like he did, or he would have no chance at all."

"I guess you are right... But what can we do? Speak to Miroku-sama?"

"I really don't know... Let's got to sleep, this gets us nowhere. We may think of something in our dreams!"

Kagome snuggled on Inuyasha's chest. "Alright. Sweet dreams, love..."

"You too, Kagome." A few moments after the conversation ended, the two fell in a deep, contented slumber.

How would it be possible to take notice of the shadow that fled the village, the all too familiar staff on hand?

* * *

The next morning came. Unlike what they had thought, the weather was cold and dreary, grey clouds covering the sky. Kagome got out of the hut and looked up. "I don't understand. The sky was so clear last night! And there is this heavy feeling in the air..." Looking around, she spotted Inuyasha turning his head one way or the other, sniffing all the time.

"I don't like this, Kagome. There is something strange about the smell of the air around us, but I don't know what..."

Shippou run wildly to the couple's side, Sango close behind him. "Do you feel it too?" When they nodded, he trembled slightly because of a chill than run up his spine, deciding to jump in Kagome's warm embrace. "Do you know what is it, Inuyasha?"

The hanyou lord shook his head. "I don't what is it, but we should better find out fast." Looking around once again, he looked startled. Kagome noticed the same thing out of the blue and spoke up. "Where is Houshi-sama?"

As in queue, a little girl run up to Kagome, very bewildered at what happened to the weather. Looking up at the company that had become so renowned because of their quest to defeat Naraku and make the Shikon no Tama whole once again, she became shy. "K... Kagome-sempai?" She said, her eyes locked on a particularly nice stone on the ground.

"What is it, Monota-chan?" The little girl raised her head, very happy that the powerful, young miko remembered her, but determined to accomplish her mission. "Your friend, Miroku-sempai gave me this. He told me to give you all this message today." She pulled a piece of paper out of her belt. "Good-bye!" And then she left.

Kagome opened the paper up, reading the message that was clearly written by Miroku's hand."What would Miroku give that cute, little girl?" Sango said. She was eager to find out.

Until she looked at the now pale Kagome.

Inuyasha was full of concern. "What is it, koibito? Please tell us..." She didn't speak but gave the message to Inuyasha to read it. He did so, aloud.

My dear friends,

I am so sorry that I have to do this, but, believe me, I really must go... It would be best if I did not tell you the reason that has me fleeing off your company that has given my life such interest and me, happiness. If I don't see you again, I hope you will forgive me for not being there as the godfather you wanted me to be. Shippou, I wish you grow up into a fine kitsune. Sango-sama, I wish you will be happy with your god-child or -children. I hope life will treat you all of you well and that you may find proper rest in the afterlife. Sayonara, my friends.

Miroku

As Inuyasha finished his reading, he raised his sorrowful and at the same time angry eyes to take a glimpse of everyone around him. Kagome seamed to feel almost the same way he did, while Shippou looked like someone had smacked him in the face. But Sango...

She was clearly lost after what she heard. The moisture that had veiled her eyes in a wet wall had started flowing freely if not madly not long after Inuyasha had started reading the first sentence. Her face was drained of any colour, giving her a ghustly look. Suddenly she fell on her knees, in a way that everyone around her was startled even though they knew how she felt for the monk: defeatedly.

"Sango-chan?" Shippou said.

She didn't answer before a tear flowed out of her left eye, run down her cheek and inbetween her two lips, its salty taste mingling with the coppery own of blood, tingling her tongue as she run it over her lips when she bit them. "He has left... for good?"

She turned around to the direction of the hut Kaede occupied when a tremble run up her figure. Without a warning she slumped to the ground, her ears not listening the worried cries and pleas of her friend's and companions.

* * *

Later that evening, the young taijiya awoke to the sound of whispers. She looke daround and noticed she had reched her destination, but she couldn't figure out how, since she knew she had fainted, wherever she liked the fact or not.

Lifting herself off the matress on the floor, she turned her head to listen of what was said. Sango realised they were not really whispers as much as a conversation much muffled by the bamboo and paper threshold. Walking up to it, she eavesdropped on her friends.

"I am telling you there is something that doesn't fit in this situation! Why should the sky get so dark and unwholesome at the same time with Miroku's departure?" That was no one else than the hanyou.

"I know..." Sango noticed a hesitation in Kagome's voice. "There was more in the letter than you have read, Inuyasha."

"What do you mean? I haven't noticed anything else!" Sango heard Kagome chuckle half-heartedly. Something was up...

"You wouldn't. Miroku has outsmarted others more than once, you know, and does have a deep understanding of magic. One of the most ancient arcane mysteries was how to produce some form of script that would be read only by those you wanted to read it."

"You mean, Miroku has enchanted his text? But how? Wouldn't that mean the whole message would be invisible to us? And how do you define the ones whom you want to read the message."

"There are a number of ways to achieve the latter... I can even show you some non-magical techniques to get the same effect. But that's not the point. As for your quesation of how it didn't disappear, he enchanted some ink, not the message itself. In this case, however, Miroku put a spell on the ink so that only would be able to see it, just like the colours the Shikon no Tama gives off, and that's the reason I made this speculation."

Inuyasha was startled. "If you showed up in front of your past self, she wouldn't believe she could ever become you..."

Kagome giggled at that notion. "Why, thank you, my love..." Then Sango heard a smutch sound, looking down on her gown at the image that flooded her mind: Miroku holding her close, being so gentle and caring with her as Inuyasha had goten to be with Kagome... and loving.

She was pulled out of her thoughts at her friend's renewed talking. "Now, will you tell me what this little postscript of the houshi was about? I am really afraid the taijiya next door might wake up in minute, and something tells me that she would want to make me part of her boomerang if she knew their is anything concerning her and Miroku in this letter..."

THe wonderful girl in his arms nodded her head. "Your guess is right. Listen."

Kagome-sama, before I go on I want to ask you to talk about this with Inuyasha-sama when you finish its reading. I once again want to apologise for standing by your side when your offspring comes to this world. The reason I am leaving is Sango-chan. I want to live with her for the rest of my life and after that should this be possible, but I cannot. I am not worthy of her, and deep down I am afraid she does not love me.

How ould she after what I have done to her? Plus, I have nothing to give her back... I am a weak, poor monk of Buddha. She would never be happy with me. Not with me.

Farewell, my friend's. I shall think of you and dream of her, and thus find solace. I was not destined for sweet bliss...

While Kagome was reading, the demon exterminator felt her knees buckling as she clutched her gown, her arms wrapped around her shaking form, tears sweeping the colour off her face.

'He has left for good! What am I going to do? I... I... Oh, Gods above, why should he leave and not tell me? Why?'

The couple were surprised when they heard soft sobbing from the room next to the one they were in and a muffled "...why?" reaching their ears.

Inuyasha looked in a sad way at Kagome. "I am afraid she now knows." Leaning close to her, he whispered. "We must get him back. I don't know what this foul feeling in the air has to do with him leaving the village, but they need each other. Even we may be in need of the stupid monk right now." He winked.

* * *

Sorry for the delay, but I think this chapter is good. Anyway, I hope you find it nice as well. Bye for now!


	16. A life of teachings and the teachings of...

Author's Note:  
I am really sorry for the delay... At first I had managed to lead myself into a wall (yes, writer's block strikes back!), then I couldn't get online, and I still have my college exams, which means I cannot work on this story as much as I want! After an awful week, with no Internet what so ever to top that, I figured how I could go on with the story. I want to apologise for being late. It is January the 23rd now that I began to write this chapter, and I hope you will read this soon. I am looking forward to posting this and hope you understand. At the end of this chapter you will find some notes. ^_^

Chapter 16  
A life of teachings and the teachings of life...

A small breeze touched the heated flesh of the monk's face. He had been trying to find some shadow for so long, yet he had just had to be in the middle of a large grass covered area, only a few bushes scattered all over it.

"Buddha was lucky enough to find enlightenment under a tree... I am all bathed in light and without a tree!"

Miroku had left the village two days ago. Remembering the dark clouds that loomed over it he felt regret for leaving his friends back. Both for what they might have felt and this present torture of sweltering heat. A curse escaped the houshi's lips, scaring a couple of sparrows away. Looking at them he could feel nothing but hurt.

'Even they can be together... Stop this, fool, you can not help yourself in this way!' And so he once again began walking, biting his lip until it bled, his pace synchronised with the rythmic, to-and-fro motion of his staff.

A single drop streaked down his cheek, leaving its own glistening path on the monk's face; amongst many others...

* * *

"Why, oh why, should that stupid monk leave now? We don't have all the time in the world to find out what that thing was!"

Kaede winced as she recalled Inuyasha's old, foul mood that seemed to be surfacing once more. "Control thy temper, Inuyasha-sama... Thou should hafth thought that Miroku-sama cannot be that far away! He had left no longer than two days ago." Finishing her words, she run the left sleeve of her hokama over her brow; it really was hot!

Inuyasha calmed down a little. Suddenly he knelt, whispering to her. "I know, but we have to find him soon. I really didn't like what happened back then... He could be in danger, you know." As he spoke his fear out to her, Kaede noticed he was honestly worried.

Kagome had just caught up to them, just having cast a sad glance behind her. "Poor Sango... She is so down she can't even catch up." Looking over at Inuyasha, she spoke once more. "She hasn't even thought of asking of Kirara to transform!"

The hanyou sighed loudly. Shippo run back to them, jumping on Inuyasha's shoulder in one swift, fluid motion. "Why don't the three of us go find him? We can do this a lot faster on our own!" Shippo looked expectantly at his figure, Inuyasha's eyes closed for a moment as he contemplated the young youkai's suggestion.

The red-clad man he has made his foster father finally spoke. The stern look he gave him made Shippo realise Inuyasha had reached a conclusion. "I agree we should go on by ourselves. But you must stay behind with Sango. She should have more than Kirara to protect her, and I must go with Kagome."

Inuyasha smiled at the startled expression the kid he had gotten to care so much for had. "You 've grown, Shippo." Suddenly he raised his eyes to the sky. "Do you think I always was the fierce man I now am? Were they always calling me Shirosenshi? Far from it..." At these words he lowered his head, sad at the memories of the mockery of men and youkai alike. "Isn't it such a great irony, human abhorrence for hanyou? And youkai pay humans no heed, yet they despise hanyou even more... I felt lonely all the years after my parents died. I became arrogant and proud, two of the few things that helped me survive."

Kagome was looking at the two for some time. Hearing him say all of this to Shippo, she came nearer and knelt, hugging him softly, yet firmly. Inuyasha looked down at her sweet, beautiful form at his left and smiled as he turned to face Shippo, his left arm wrapping around Kagome's shoulders. "Now, I have no reason to be arrogant or whatever. You too, Shippo, have grown up, even if it was in a very different way from the one I did. You can take care not only of yourself now, but of Sango as well, helping her fight anything off. If anything too strong for the two of you and Kirara comes up, call out for us."

"All right!" Rushing off Inuyasha's shoulder, he stood before the couple. "Please hurry... We all know none of the two can really stand being apart. Not very well, that is." Pouting, he said: "You know what I mean, ne? I don't have to describe it." Kaede, who stood silent all the time, chose to speak up then. "Go now... He can't have gone too far. You will find him soon, but I suggest we make Sango wait behind, while you take care of the houshi's condition, ne?"

The young miko nodded her agreement at Kaede's words. "We'll do that." Her husband took her on his back, instictively and empathically knowing that should he hold her in his arms he would make Sango even more depressed. "Off we go!"

* * *

Miroku had his back against a tree at last, its cool shadow reviving his almost heat striken body. His face had a solemn expression. And it would seem a lot more solemn if you could even catch a glimpse of the debate that took place in his heart.

Inhaling deeply, he meditated harder, trying to shield anything out of his intented trail of thought out of his mind. 'Desire leads to pain. And pain is what holds us in our present state of karma.' Frustrated at what all of this led to, he huffed, bowing his head in defeat and finally opening his eyes. 'But I want to be with her; I long for the sight of her more than... than anything!'

"So there you are!" Before he had even raised his head he was slammed against the tree he had just been leaning against. "Nani? Inuyasha?! Kagome-sama? What are you doing here?"

Kagome jumped to the ground. "Taking care of the two of you..." Miroku didn't have a chance to answer as Inuyasha glared at him, giving him a piece of his mind almost in an instant. "Wrong move, Miroku; wrong move..."

"But you have to understand! I follow my ideals and Buddha's teachings. Desire can only bring us all pain should it have no basis. What would I..."

Inuyasha shouted at him for his foolishness. "She loves you, damn it! Don't you understand?! She adores you! And you make the same mistake for which all of you, especially you, blamed me: hurting the one we love and loves us back!"

Kagome hussed him, wanting him to control his temper. When she was finished she looked into the eyes of her friend. "You say it is only needless desire that you try to avoid. Tell me, though, have you ever thought this might be no desire but a need the two of you share?" Kagome raised her brow, challenging Miroku to take a look of the situation from her point of view.

The houshi was lost. A few moments ago he would be thinking that he was a fool to love someone he thought would not return his love, scolding himself for being so weak. Now he was told how much that same woman loved him and felt like smacking himself upside the head; literally.

Instead, he exhaled deeply, then grabbed Kagome's two hands and brought his forehead down on them in one hasty bow. Repeating the same with Inuyasha, he looked at he two and bowed in front of them once more. "Dõmo arigato gosaimasu, Shirosenshi-sama." Lifting himself off the ground, picking up his bo at the same time, he asked them: "Will you take me back to her? If you don't mind, I would also like to speak with her alone. Is there any way we could accomplish this?"

Moisture had covered his eyes once again.

A contented one...

* * *

Ouch. That was short, was it not? Oh well, this time it won't take me that long to update.

If you want to, I will try posting a sketch every so often. I will be giving you a URL that you can enter in your address bar or click on it, should FanFiction.Net allow a connection tag on my HTML files to work. But only if you want to, so you should say so in an email or a review.

Considering that some users have asked of me to email them whenever I update, I would like to apologise to these people for not doing so earlier. If any of you are still interested, I will do so from now on if you provide me with an email address. I would appreciate it if you didn't just provide me with your profile; it tends to be quite a fuss, putting all the addresses together.

Last thing: it has been told that you are really popular only if receive both good and bad criticism. I realise that some of you would disagree with how or what I write. That's fine by me, but I don't understand: why the anonymity? I cannot do anything against you and don't really care that much to do so; telling me what's wrong with my writing is only good! Except if I do have a good reason to be writing something one way or another. I do not want to make people login before they can review, so please write at least a nick name. Signing as "you don't need to know" or stuff only degrades your opinion. I believe you should do the same with every story you review, not only mine.


	17. Aces of Spades and Queens of Hearts

Author's Note:  
Since I haven't managed to scan any of my sketches till now, I am giving you a link to other people's sites with pictures. The first of the URLs is given at the end of the chapter. It has many pictures, believe me, and based on a lot of anime as well.

Hmm, it did take me three days, ne? Heh-heh! Argh, stupid exams...

Chapter 17  
Aces of Spades and Queens of Hearts...

"Hang on, Miroku. It won't take us long" Kagome gave the houshi an encouraging smile, then snuggled close to Inuyasha, the two leaving for the rest of the group.

The buddhist monk was alone once again. Closing his eyes to concentrate, he went through their plan one more time before acting out his own part. 'I must get near the spot which Sango will be occupying when Shippo comes to inform me of it... By that time they will try to leave her almost alone until I come, when they will actually guard the two of us.' Miroku smiled good naturedly at his friends caution and dedication. 'You are the best friends I've ever had... If I ever had any other true friends.'

With that thought in his mind, he looked up in the sky. The bright azure that met his eyes mae him feel good, just as everything that reminds us of life's beauty does...

He could not see the sinister clouds that where gathering once more above the general area west of the village...

* * *

Inuyasha stopped just outside the glade where their three companions had set up camp a quarter after they left the monk behind. Sango was looking at the ground, right next to her where Shippo was trying to open a cup of ramen without spilling them all over him. This, of course, was very difficult, since the triangular piece of aluminum foil on its outer rim had been torn.

The taijiya hadn't realise they had come back till the elder priestess spoke up to the couple. "How had thy expedition been, my lords?" Realising what she said and noticing the strange looks they were giving her, she blushed a little, then went on. "If my eye deceives me not, thou hafth not found Houshi-sama." Sango could not hold the heavy, weary sigh that escaped her lips when Inuyasha shook his head. "We have to postpone the search since this storm on the west is getting heavier. We should check it out. In the meantime, I suggest we camp here: the weather is getting worce." Kagome replied.

Sango looked at the kitsune that stood before her. "Would you like me to give you a hand?" The little kit nodded vigorously. She reached out and patted Shippo lightly on the head, then took the cup out of his hands. Drawing a long, slender knife out of a sheath on her belt, she cut a cemicircle on the foil in one fluid, circular motion of her wrist and gave it back to him. When she drew the knife to sheathe it, her glance fell on the glistening surface of the blade and stood there gazing at it. She looked at her reflection, wondering if she was the least pretty or deserved Miroku. 'Maybe he was right to leave; I could never talk to him they way I long to.' Sighing once more, she put the dagger back where she took it from.

The young woman almost immediately turned around. 'I thought I heard bushes rustling...' Looking up to the hanyou, she asked the questio that came to her mind. "Tell me, Inuyasha, are there any people around? Any kind."

Inuyasha lifted his nose theatrically up and sniffed at the air, and Shippo followed suit. "Not a man, Sango. Now relax, ne?" As he turned around he winked at Shippo who was about to protest. 'Why would Inuyasha want Sango not know that Miroku is near?' Kagome eyed the hesitant boy. "All right, Shippo-chan, will you come with me? We do need some wood for the evening fire." As it would be expected, the little fox youkai followed her excitedly; not that he could carry a lot of wood anyway, but...

As the two departed, Inuyasha spoke up, looking at Kaede with a honey-dripping fachade. "Kaede-bachan, can I talk to you for a moment? Personally." The elder miko eyed him curiously, but nodded her head, thinking no ill could come out of such an action. "Hai, Inuyasha-sama." She got up from the rock she sat on and walked along with the white-haired hanyou farther than the edge of the clearing.

When Sango was sure everyone had left, she allowed the tears she had held bac all this time to flow freely.

* * *

Shippo was startled at what Kagome had told him. "You mean you planned this? I would have never thought of you as tricky as you prove to be, Kagome-chan!" The younger miko giggled at the Inuyasha-like way he crossed his arms. "Well, you should better go find Houshi-sama now... I will go find the rest."

"All right... See you in minute!" End then they jumped at opposite directions, Kagome trying to find Kaede and her husband, while Shippo would run up to Miroku.

A few moments later, Kagome had reached the other two members of their group. "Sorry for the trick, Kaede-bachan, but we had to give the two a chance to get together!" Kaede shook her head. "Thou hafth to apologise not; thou made the right thing...Now, are we waiting for Shippo to find the two?"

Inuyasha nodded once. "Shippo should be running back to catch up with the rest of us, while Miroku will go to the glade. What we have to do from that point on is protect the two while they have their talk."

"And here I am!" By the time the three had turned their eyes, Shippo had come up. "I found him! He's going to see her now!" They nodded their heads, and discussed the last issues of Kagome's plan. After that they set for their designated areas.

* * *

Miroku eyed her nervously from behind a cluster of tall trees with tick trunks. He bowed his head, feeling sorry for every small sob that left her shaking form, every tear she had spilled... He knew though that all of this would end soon after he spoke with her. Cocking his head to look straight at her, he started walking.

Sango was crying as silently as a human being could ever manage to. She of course would not like her friends worrying about her, so she tried her best to avoid them seeing her like that. Everyone in her current state would be shocked it they felt a hand on their shoulder. Not turning around lest someone saw her weeping, she said: "Would you please leave me alone? I am not in the mood for this; not right now..."

The young monk winced at the sound of her voice. 'Have I depressed her so? Baka yaro!' He held his hand though on her shoulder. 'If I speak to her now, I may manage to make up for her...' Taking a deep breath, he spoke up. "I don't think I can do as you ask me to, Sango-chan..."

The youkai exterminator looked suddenly behind her, as if she was afraid she was having hallucinations. Or was she afraid the man that spoke to her would vanish before she could rest her eyes on his image once more? "Miroku-chan?" The houshi nodded, a weak, yet sweet smile covering his features.

"Miroku-chan!" Sango said, jumping up to him. Miroku felt the air be knocked out of him as the taijiya hugged him tight, not wanting to let him go and crying. "It's all right, Sango, shh, don't cry. I am here now..." After a while, when he managed to calm her down, she spoke to him. "But Kagome and Inuyasha told me that they could not find you!"

Miroku held back the smirk that threatened to show up. "They found me few minutes ago. I asked them to stay outside the clearing so that we could talk alone."

"Oh." Sango hesitated, and Miroku knew it. "Tell me, why have you left? Was there something that troubled you?" She obviously had not noticed the uncoscious change in the way the talked to each other.

Miroku turned his gase elsewhere; he didn't feel very comfortable when it finally came to that. "Hai. There was something. And there still is." Looking back at Sango, he noticed she was getting sad again. 'Go on, do not stop.' Gulping down the knot that had formed on its own inside his throat, he bit his lower lip. The coppery taste of blood made him begin again.

"I... I mean, there is a problem we have to talk about."

'What does he mean by that?' Sango was startled. "What problem exactly, Miroku-chan? I really don't know!"

"It's... Sango, have you ever felt not worthy of something? As if you were not meant to be?"

Sango rested her head on his chest, right above his heart, looking down on the ground. She noticed it was racing. 'But why?' Locking her curiosity deep in her own heart, she talked back. "Hai... I still don't feel that well... about my people. My brother... They were all killed. Could I save them not?" Sango hushed him as he was about to protest. "I did feel not worthy of being a taijiya. But now... all of you have helped me get over it! It's a disease, not believing in yourself." She took a clever smile only for an instant. "As is getting overconfident..."

"I see. But I was talking more of myself..." Sango gased him in surprise. "Well, do you think of me worthy..." Miroku blushed a deep crimson during his pause; he bowed his head on her left shoulder, hugging her tighter, hiding his shut eyes with the moist corners and his flushing cheeks with his long strands of black hair. "...of you?"

Sango was too shocked too talk at first, but after a few seconds she held him even more securely, wrinkling his robes with clutching fists and bathing them in tears of joy and merriment finally found. It was not too long before the monk moved her off his chest, raising her chin so that she would look up at him. "Aishiteru, Miroku." Houshi-sama leaned closer and closer, breathing this words heavilly against her pink lips in a whispering voice: "Aishiteru, Sango-chan..."

The two soon found bliss in each other's warm embrace and the sweet kiss they shared.

* * *

Needless to say that a particualr couple was very glad with what they have achieved.

"Finally! After all these months, too!" Kagome looked excitedly at her mate. "I wonder how they stood this for so long..."

Shippo could not hold his tongue back at this comment. "Well, if you two don't know, then none of us does!"

Needless to say that a particular hanyou was not very glad at such a well-put remark.

* * *

Remember the URL I've told you about? Well, here it is: http://www.fayevalentine.net/! I think you will like this a lot, even if there isn't any Inuyasha material on it. You can also find some links to other sites...

As for the title... haven't you noticed that the original makes Inuyasha and Miroku look a little bad in way, while the two girls are mostly good? Now, which cards represent something good (and female) and which something terrible (and male)? 0v0


	18. Past issues left undone

Author's Note:  
Gomen nasai! Forgive me for the delay... I really wanted to get on with this story, but I have managed to have too many things to do once again! I hope you are still there; I have finished with almost everything now and they won't occupy most of my timetable. Not again!

I also hope you like this chapter... Dõmo Arigato Gosaimasu for your patience.

By the way... Personal note: I am sorry to say you are wrong. It is Shippo(u), depending on the way you romanize japanese. After a little conversation with a friend of mine, I made certain which roman pronunciation fitted the japanese best and chose them as my writing style. Apart from that, this is the way you should be able to find the names with sub-titles.

Chapter 18  
Past issues left undone...

The night was peaceful after the union of the dueto's hearts. The only thing you could hear was the buzz of crickets, sending their high-pitched tunes up to the sky.

But the group knew not that their peace would be disturbed so soon...

* * *

Kaede felt a chill up her spine. Unbeknowest to her, so did the others.

As the sun rose higher in the sky, painting it with the crimson fire that burns within it, scattering a thousand hues all over the sun-lit part of the world, they all felt the chill retreating, as if it lessened in strength. Inuyasha was the first to rise, but before he knew it, everyone in the glade had risen as well; fog was covering it from one end to the other.

Something foul was at bay...

"I don't like this the least. We must hurry out of this place!" Shippo cried.

Miroku spoke up as well. "What shall we do then? There is something evil about this treacherous mist, but I don't know what!"

"Calling it treacherous is a mistake, you know..." Inuyasha answered. "It might help us reach whoever blew it our way. Come on!" And with these words he strode to the direction the fog was coming from.

"Wait, Inuyasha!" Kagome shouted. As her husband halted, she managed to reach him quickly. "Don't you think we should check up on the village?"

"Hmm, perhaps you are right. Kaede-baba, what do you thi...?!"

When Inuyasha stood blinking at the spot Kaede had slept at last night, they all turned to the same general direction.

Only to find out she was missing.

* * *

As the elder miko raised her head, the ache that rushed up in it made her wince and shut her eyelids closed. When she finally got better, caesing to pant, she noticed that she was bound on a cold flagstone, chains encircling her arms and legs. It didn't take her much time to realise the links were enchanted to keep her down by excruciating waves of pain running through your body whenever you tried to stand up. She had heard of such a device before...

Turning her head around she noticed a dark figure standing by one wall. She didn't know anything in particular about the person, so she had to be careful.

"So you woke at last. You humans are weak when you get older..." the dark figure said.

Kaede nodded her agreement. "We do get older and bodily weaker as the ages pass, but every creatre has to endure this degredation. This is one of nature's most fundamental laws. 'All must wither and leave someone or something rule in their place.' But so much the wiser we get, and I find this not such a bad exchange..."

"None the wiser I think you are than when you were a child... Wisdom is a power and gift most people never receive. Especially your kind of people... Thou nameth I "hoi polloi", for you dwell and win in numbers, neither power nor intellect!"

Kaede smiled weakly and bitterly. "Thou hafth presented only a part of what my people are. And thou art...?"

The creature laughed. "None of thy concern, bait! Know only this, miko of Inuyasha's forest. I have nothing to tell thee, and thou art not needed; useful, that is what thou art!" He turned his back as he was speaking these words, going out of the room when he had finished. "As much as a worm is to a fisherman."

* * *

"... If thou needeth thy precious priestess, thou need only search for me." Inuyasha cocked his head upwards when he had finished reading the note they had found beside Kaede's travelling package. He seemed awfully pale for his usual...

The message stung of youkai, an evil aura surrounding it in dark purple tendrils.

"Is that all it is written?" Miroku inquired. "Does it not say who sent this in particular?"

Inuyasha turned around and looked at the monk. "What exactly do you know of my father's death?"

Kagome gasped at Inuyasha's implication. "You don't mean..."

"I am afraid it's true..." Inuyasha hugged his spouse tightly as the tears flowed freely down her cheecks. "Destiny can't let us just forget the past; every single thing must be dealt with." Raising her chin so that he could look in her eyes, he spoke up again. "We will get over this, all right. No matter what. I cannot let my children suffer the same way I did. Not if I can."

Sango, Miroku and Shippo kept their mouth shut at the couple's exchange. This was very serious...

* * *

Still have to scan my sketches... Aye! Anyway, if you do not know of the site, enter google and type "Sengoku Jidai". This is a wonderful site concerning Inuyasha, with a huge pack of things to make good use of. Ja ne!

I know, it was short, but I'll REALLY soon, I swear.


	19. Brothers in Arms & Blood

Author's Note:  
After the persistent delays, I will ask for your patience; it seems my luck does not allow me for the regularity I would love to have... I hope you like this chapter and it is worthy of your patience. Please, accept my apologies!

As for who was the one who kidnapped Kaede and let that message behind, well, you shall see...

I know Sesshoumarou does not speak like that, but I find it somewhat difficult to be read the way he speaks; plus, I would not like to fail in his manner of speech.

Chapter 19  
Brothers in Arms & Blood.

Mirok was getting impatient. "Could you please explain me what you meant by talking about your father's death?" Inuyasha's death glare on the wretched piece of paper lasted only a moment. Then Inuyasha turned to Shippo, who also had a god sense of smell, and threw it at him so he would catch it. The little kitsune phewed when he snatched it in the air.

"It has to do with Ryuukotsusei, I presume... That's the smell I detect on this piece of paper!"

Miroku took a step backwards. "Are you insane? Ryuukotsusei is dead! You fell him during our journey! Tetsusaiga would not have been as strong without you doing so!"

Inuyasha turned at him. "I know, but how else can you explain his reek on the message?"

"He is right, you know..." Shippo said. "It does stink of that youkai. You ningen may not smell it, but it still is here!"

Miroku sighed in defeat. "OK, all right already! Can you figure out what this riddle before us means, though?"

Kagome aswered: "Not yet, but we must find out soon enough. Kaede has been kidnapped, and we still don't know what sort of connection these strange clouds have with this most recent incident! We should act as fast as we can..."

"Then I suppose we could start looking from... there? The fog seems to originate from that point!", said Sango.

The hanyou drew Kagome and Shippo close to his chest and jumbed up high and far speaking back to the rest of them "Come on!"

The six companions were following the path the mist was plotting on the ground for them. They soon realised that the fog was coming from the west as well. They travelled on and on, till they moved beyond Sesshoumarou's realm. Their trek was long and tiring but they had to follow it. Who knew what they would have to fight against?

"This seems so wrong!" Miroku moaned from Kirara's back. "We follow this lead to west for so many days... Are you sure we are not mistaken to go on further?"

Inuyasha was not too eager to answer his question. Sango chose to do both of them a favour. "This is heavy on Inuyasha, dear... I mean, he was supposed to have killed the dragon, but it now seems he was more powerful than that or that someone else is helping him? Inuyasha never liked fighting against riddles. His advantage is in battle prowess, not intrigues!"

The hanyou heard all of this and shivered at the mere thought of what could that youkai have in mind now... He doubted it could really be Ryuukotsusei, but who else could it be? He didn't like the insecurity the least!

Lost in his thoughts, avoiding the many obstacles by instinct and reflexes alone, he was surprised to hear that voice.

"It seems we meet again, brother..."

Inuyasha stood and sure there was Sesshoumarou! Jaken moved behind him, then inquired up to his master in a whispery tone. "Why should we ask for their help, Sesshoumarou-sama?" Not whispery enough for any ningen, let alone one of youkai heritage... Rest assured that a vein on Inuyasha's forehead started popping out.

"Don't mind Jaken..." said Sesshoumarou as he kicked him upside the head. "I come here to talk once again with you, Inuyasha... The last time we talked together we agreed that none would raise a hand against the other."

"I remember; we agreed that Tetsusaiga would be left with me, while you would keep Tensaiga. You would rule over our father's realm, while I would live however I wanted to the east. I am still grateful for your help against Naraku."

Sesshoumarou remained calm, yet a single tear (Author's Note: as in "cut", not "teardrop") run on one side of his emotionless mask. "I don't know why are you here, but I would like to ask you a favour in return of the one I have done you."

* * *

Kaede remained throughout the days stoically on the floor, as some underling youkai brought her something to eat and drink. The way she had to endure laying down on the cold flagstones reminded her of the the time Youra of the Hair made her appearance, when Inuyasha literaly half-buried her under a pile of leaves so that she could be kept safe while she was still injured. The wound across her shoulder was not something that she really cared for right now, but the whole leaf-burrying thing was rather unnerving!

The room seemes more lit every day: maybe it was her imagination, or could it be her eyes adapting better to the shadows? Making sure she would keep relaxed and and not get a cramp to add to her many a nuisance, she used to turn around from one side to the other, also twisting her limps and head in more comfortable positions and stances. As she was turning around one day that the room seemed very well lit, she noticed she was not alone. There was a girl bound with the same kind of chains on one dark corner of the room. She twisted her head so she could have a better look with her one eye.

She would have never expected to see Rin...

* * *

"You mean to tell me that wretched thing has not only caught Rin, but the miko elder as well?"

"That's right, and this is why we have set up for west." Inuyasha smiled weakly. "It seems we can help each other once again in need we have not thought of, ne?"

Kagome was deeply moved by Sesshoumarou's actions. He had shown in the past he bore no hatred towards humans, not real abhorrance, just lack of compassion... Something he seemed to show for most people. But then came Rin and he changed if only a little... He saved her using Tensaiga's powers on her after the attack against her village and took her under his wing... He had changed, and now he was asking his brother's help to save her. "Poor Rin..."

"Will you help me, my brother?" Sesshoumarou said, gaining complete control over his features once again. Inuyasha nodded.

"I wonder what this youkai might be up to, though..." Miroku whispered.

Sesshoumarou eyed him curiously. "What do you mean by that, houshi no ningen?"

"I had to the same question myself, Miroku-chan. What bugs you?" Sango questioned.

"Well, let me put it this way: he had gotten both Keade-sama and Rin. It seems he had something with both of you... Why would he do so, that is the question! Inuyasha was the hanyou son of your father and the one who 'killed' him at last. Why should he go after both of you? Would it not be wiser if he firstly disposed of Inuyasha, then go after you, Sesshoumarou-sama?"

Sango spoke out loud her opinion. "Could it be he wants your katana, both Tetsusaiga and Tensaiga?"

Inuyasha answered that. "Apart from any other problems that make your point insubstantial, you still have not answered the problem why had he not taken Tetsusaiga after killing me, then gone after Sesshoumarou-anchan with it!"

"It would be possible that he goes after the two of us as in a sort of trick? Like luring us in a trap we haven't figured out that has to involve both of us in order to work?" Sesshoumarou replied.

"And what if all of this is just some big sort of trick?"

Everyone turned around to look at Shippo.

* * *

I am putting up my site step by step; for now it will be hosted by GeoCities, but this might change later on. The URL is http://www.geocities.com/raspk_fog/ but is not ready yet... Ja ne! ^_^


	20. Reaching forth

Author's Note:  
I know many of you have been disappointed at my delay, something totally understandable. Seems that I lost a gamble with writer's block. Gomen. You do not know how much I also hate to be late with something I like, but I couldn't find the exact way to write this chapter, though I knew what was coming. I am really sorry, but I could do nothing to get over it. For me, writer's block is as big an obstacle as nothing else. Sometimes I need huge ammounts of time, as I have already demonstrated. I don't believe, though, that another writer's block will come to me now, since I have found the way I want this story to get on. TO compensate for the three-week delay as much as I can, her is a long for my standards chapter. I hope you like it, even though this is not enough.

Chapter 20  
Reaching forth.

Shippo was not very happy about everyone staring at him; even if you do have a big ego, curious looks that have been strengthened with worry are not something you like to receive. "Nani?"

"What was it that you meant, Shippo-chan?" Kagome asked in a "I do not understand what you mean by that!" sort of look on her face, eyebrow quirked, eyes wide and set mouth. He had repeated a good portion of Sesshoumarou's phrase after all, which really didn't help a lot in making his point clear to his companions and friends.

The little kitsune fidgeted a little. "I... I meant that something seems fishy to me. Like, why would he kidnap the least powerful of each of the two groups if it really was Ryuukotsusei? He could have kidnapped Sango or Miroku or Kagome or..." Shippo's self-control failed at the looks they were giving him. "Heck! Everyone but Rin-kun and Keade-sama would have been better targets, if not perfect!" Kagome and the rest were too preoccupied being shocked at what Shippo had just made so clear to scold him for swearing.

Inuyasha rubbed the top of the kid fox's head, ruffling his hair. "You got us there, Shippo." Then he grinned evilly at him. "It seems it is good to have our master of trickery back in-line!"

"Hoi!" Shippo souted from the ground.

Inuyasha winced and his ears fell flat on his hair. "You don't have to squeal, you know! I was just kidding."

"Keh!" Shippo shut his mouth closed when he realised what had he just said. Everyone in the glade laughed half-heartedly because of worry. That is, everyone but Sesshoumarou, who looked at them with longing. 'Rin... She used to laugh so brightly... I wish you were here!'

Turning his expression in the usual calm fachade, he spoke up. "What do you think has happened then, kitsune? Is it some other of your kind trying to lure in some sort of trap?"

"I don't know, but if it really is another kitsune, we could have some advantage over it, since I might be able to disbelieve most of its illusions; except if this is a very powerful one, of course!"

Jaken, being silent throughout the whole conversation, chose the moment to make known his own speculations. "I suppose I should send some spies forward, Sesshoumarou-sama..."

"That is right, Jaken... Deploy some of those Black Ravens of yours."

Jaken gapped at his master but only for a second before straightening his face. "Hai, Sesshoumarou-sama!"

Kagome looked at Jaken who pulled a small vial holding some sort of inky black liquid out of his robes. 'Black Ravens?' A moment later, the small youkai pulled the lid off the vial and a wisp of thick smoke emerged. It made a few circles, then a black, raven-like silhouette appeared in mid-air, flapping its phasmatic wings. Jaken laid the note he and his master had received, then nodded at Inuyasha to give him the other one as well. When he got the second scrol as well, he said something none of the others heard. As he did so, the figure lowered and looked deeply at the message, which began to glow fiercely.

"What magic is this?" the youkai-exterminator questioned.

"It seems that it is going to find who wrote the message and the place he lives within." Miroku answered confidently.

Not a minute longer, the Black Raven flapped its wings mightier, then made one, two, three good thrusts and up it went! The higher it got, though, the more they got to be. A whole swarm of these Black Ravens flew up in the sky...

Then they scattered.

Inuyasha could only stare at the sight before him, a cloud of winged, black phantoms in the shape of a raven flying due west in a frantic yet controlled manner. "Where have you gotten this thing? I've never seen anything like that!" It would be an understatement to say he was smitten with awe.

Jaken smiled at what he saw in the eyes of his master's half-brother; he was humiliated (from Jaken's point of view, that is) and that was good. "It was a recent discovery that my master found worthy of keeping. After Naraku's defeat, few things could pose any serious theat, so we didn't use it till now..."

"And why is that?" Miroku pointed out.

Suddenly the hanyou felt a stung on his left cheek and slapped, albeit softly. Lowering his hand, he looked at a pretty well smashed Myouga. "And where were you hiding all this time, Myouga-jiji? Hidden somewhere again, ne?"

Myouga popped full of air (literaly or not, what's the difference?) and bowed before his master. "I am sorry for being delayed, Inuyasha-sama, but I had a serious research to make... As for the monk's question-"

"Hngh!" A very distressed look came over Jaken's face...

Myouga continued though. "This is a magic that can be used only once per vial, and since the spells behind the creation of the incantations wraught on these items are mostly unknown, few use them if there is no need to." Jaken's shaking was out of control at that moment: he wanted to squash Myouga more times than Inuyasha had ever in his entire life!

"I think we should await our spies to reach us before we rush on, but we should still move across the land; the phantom birds have already flown quite a distance!" Sesshoumarou announced and then set forward in a slow, deliberate stride of controlled motion; his figure always had something regal about it, and it was quite natural that most people would be enthralled if he would not attack. Jaken broke the silence quite effectively though, shouting things like "Wait for this humble servant, Sesshoumarou-sama!" or "Don't leave me behind!"

Inuyasha nodded his agreement to his half-brother's idea. "All right, we are moving on. Set everything you have up and let's get going! We'd better catch up ti them so that we can set out as fast as we can!"

In five minutes only the smashed grass blades proved someone had stopped here.

* * *

Kaede was not very happy at the predicament of the situation at hand: she could have been kidnapped, even though she wandered how could this ever happen under the hanyou's vigilance, but to take Rin away from Sesshoumarou and his servant Jaken (not that he was very observant, mind you!) was not quite the same! Their captor has also made no further appearance, probably aware of the fact that sooner or later they would adapt to the low-lit chamber and would be able to see him or something like that.

As Kaede was thinking of all the parameters that could turn the scales to the favour of one side or the other, Rin's still small, yet more womanly form shaked a little. The elder miko turned around to have a better look and she noticed that the poor youth was trembling, as if something had affected her more than Kaede. She sighed. 'Guess I have been readier of being detached from those I know; for Rin to lose her family twice, that is another thing. Even if it is only her point of view...' Her thoughts were cut short when she heard soft rumbling come from Rin's throat. She leaned closer to hear what might have troubled the child-turned-teen. As the distance between the two became shorter and shorter, she could make more with each one of her "steps". "Iie... iie, Rin will not shout for Sesshoumarou, kitsune hanyou! Iie!"

'So that's it! A hanyou with the powers of the kitsune... Could he have other powers as a ningen too?'

"But of course, miko of Inuyasha's Forest!" Kaede heard from behind her. "Did you think I would merely rely on the powers of my spirit heritage? Keh! You are worce than I thought..." Saying this words she turned around. Sure there was a man with red eyes and hair, dressed in long ponytail and wearing damson robes that would feat an oshu better than a warrior. "Now that you know my secret, you should realise what I plan to do, right?"

Kaede tried to block her thoughts from being read; it was obvious he had read them before. 'Is he an oshu then? Anyway, he means to draw them all here and take both Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga, then run for the Shikon no Tama! Or will he make it to the Shikon no Tama first, then come for the two brothers?'

The hanyou cackled evilly for a moment. "It was a nice try of yours to keep your thoughts inside your mind, but it won't work here..." He cackled once again, this time leaving the room. As he did, Kaede managed to see the door leading out of the room. It seems that it was hidden behind the shadows, but the light was not as dim as it used to be, or so her eyes told her.

Kaede what he meant. "It won't work here!" she heard his laughing voice repeat over and over again... Casting aside a matter she could not take care of, she came a bit closer to her, as much as the chains would allow.The distance was not very much, it was not before too, but in a closed room with so little noice, it seemed like a lot to close in a few inches! As she got as close to Rin as she could, she whispered: "Rin-kun! Hoi!" With a few attempts from Kaede's part, Rin's eyelids flattered open after a few moments. "Where is that sound coming from? Who are you?"

Kaede realised what the problem was. "Your eyes have not yet gotten accustomed to the dimness of the light of the room. As for me, I am Kaede, an elder miko... Not as powerful as Kagome, whom you know. Am I right?"

Rin turned around and tried to see Kaede. Though she was looking at the right direction, it was obvious that she could not realise where Kaede was. "Forget it my child, only by spending some time in this awful darkness will you be able to see me... Now, shall we have a chat till you are able to see me?" And thus they left the day pass, speakin gabout their lives, and current events and some nonsense, all of this making them feel more comfortable in the confines of the chamber in which they were held prisoners, or captives, to be more precise.

* * *

As the party of eight moved ever forward, following the billow of mist that always came from the west, the had to make camps every now and then, making sure they could search for evidence around the place. It seemd useless, though, for there was no track, no sign that someone had come that way. The only advantage they had was their knowledge that the captor of both their companions must have been a kitsune, as the foxes are masters of illusions.

One night, as they had camped and everyone but Jaken and Myouga had left to help in their search, a black curtain filled the western part of the sky, as a cloud heavy with thunderstorm. But it moved against the wind currents and with great speed.

"What can this be?" asked Shippo? "Can you smell it, Inuyasha?" Then they heard Jaken cry out.

"It's the Raivens! Quick! They have come!"

They came nearer and nearer, until you could reach out with your hand and sink it in the deep phantasmal mass of black birds. As they came nearer, they all noticed Jaken mumble something, then one of the birds coming done on his stuff, all of the other birds desolvinginto nothingness. Then the one bird whisoered to him for some time, and again it turned into a thin wisp of smoke and evaporated...

"So, what did they say?" Sesshoumarou questioned.

"It said that there is a castle on the peaks of a near mountain, two days from now... The also said that we should be careful, as there is an illusion covering the castle all over so that people cannot see it if they do not look for it closely!"

Inuyasha piped in, cracking his knuckles. "Well, now that we know what we are looking for, let's go!" He knelt, letting Kagome ride his back, then jumped up to the air, and so did Sesshoumarou; the rest got on Kirara's back and off they flew.

"It's nice for a change, looking at the two brothers 'ride' to battle once again, ne?"

"Hai, Miroku-chan... Hai..." Sango said and hugged him closer.

'Who knows what are we going to battle with?'

* * *

I hope you like this chapter... The next one will be soon up, I swear! -_- Gomen...


	21. The fate of the Jewel

Author's Note:  
Another delay! Arggh! I didn't have any access to any computer the time I would have like to for the past four days!

I was really glad you liked the previous chapter, since I was really worried about your reply to it. I thank you for being there to read it and congratulate you for your patience. Not many people in our days have that, and I was afraid I had lost many readers with my block. Dõmo arigato gosaimasu or, as we Greeks say, hilia efharisto (this is just phonetic in normal roman characters... I know that greek can be difficult for most people, as it is considered to be one of the hardest languages to be taught).

Too many "typos" from my account; gomen! I will have to work this around... When I find the time I will continue correcting any mistakes I have done in the already posted chapters, though I can promise nothing till then.

Chapter 21  
The fate of the Jewel

Rin got used to the light quite soon, as her eyes were younger and sharper than the only functional eye of Kaede's. When she managed to see her better, they had a longer conversation concerning their current situation.

"How were you sure he was a hanyou? Did you see any ears or something, for I didn't manage to look at his features very well. The only thing that caught my eye was the fiery hue of his irises and hair... It's the first time I have seen anything like that." Kaede said. Rin nodded once. "I was able to see his ears when he broke in the castle... They are not very easy to notice, since they are scarlet in colour..."

"Can you tell me of the attack you have gone through? I mean, what happened when this hanyou captured you?"

Rin lowered her head; she had the most pained expression on her face, yet she probably didn't even notice. "I was in my room at the castle... Then came that man and did something I quite did not understand, but what matters is that all of a sudden I was enclosed in some sort of pocket or bubble. Even though I could breathe it was rather suffocating to think of it as it was. I still do not understand how was I able to take breaths normally!"

Kaede got a queer look. "What had distracted you enough so as not to notice his arrival?" When she noticed Rin blushing, she went on. "I was sure there was more to your story; forgive me if I seem curious, but it may be crucial, like why had he chosen you as a target?"

Rin was still looking down at her lap when she answered Kaede's question. "I was crying... Rin and Sesshoumarou-sama had an argument, and got back inside and cried..." A soft sob escaped Rin's throat.

"Gomen nasai. I didn't mean to hurt you..." Seeing that Rin was not getting any better, she chose to change the subject. "There are more to this story we still need to talk about, though. For example, can you describe me what had he done when you said that you did not understand what was happening?"

The youth raised her chin in contemplation, leaving aside what had occured between Sesshoumarou and her for the time being, and soon gave her inquiry. "He just waved his right hand at me while he chanted something I could not really make out... Then he got a small piece of gum out of his robes, stretched them wide and squashed it back into a ball. Then the bubble formed around me and I could not do anything else, as the bubble was somewhat opague." The elder miko pondered what might have been the hanyou's gesturing and chanting... 'Could it be some form of unholy power? It seems strange though... I cannot accept the idea of a houshi in the shape of a hanyou with kitsune heritage... And what kind of houshi would he then be? They tend to love deceit to much, whether good-naturedly or maliciously!'

Rin looked hardly at her. "What is the matter, Kaede-sama?" When Kaede didn't answer her, she pressed on. "Something troubles you, I know it!"

Kaede looked at her. "I just cannot figure out the meaning behind some of the riddles that come forth... But there is one possibility I don't even want to think of..." Rin didn't ask her what she meant for her expression was grim.

'I sincerely hope we do not need to fight against a yao ren (1)...'

* * *

Magemoru looked at them, hidden in the shadows the chamber so easilly- and handilly- provided. 'I didn't expect her to know of such magic... It seems I have underestimated her. I am most certain none saw me when I neared the village, fifty years ago... If not for that damned Onigumo making Inuyasha and Kikyo fight each other, I might have had the chance to get the Shikon no Tama back then!'

His eyes narrowed at the reminder of these ages past... 'Keh; I will finally have the Shikon no Tama and both Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga!' Thinking what had his rival achieved made him wince; his current enemies were good enough to best Naraku, and that made him quite nervous. Bad he made good thought of everything, and he was most certain he would not fail...

Walking in a completely balanced, controlled pace of very small, silent steps, he walked out of the room in this mental projection of himself. He glided through the many chambers of his castle and found his body in his room lying on a mattress on the floor in a supine stance. He knelt by it and lied down, dissolving his vitæ in his corporeal form. A pained expression run through his face, as his consciousness settled back on his body.

As his eyes flattered open, he run his long, slender fingers through his hair... He looked in his currently blurry sight around in deep thought... He had the same problem with Inuyasha in a way. He had been tormented for his heritage from his very childhood, when the other youkai attacked the castle of his ningen father. 'Okaa-san...'

He remembered the days when he was still young by youkai standards... His father's servants told him of how had the lady of the house fallen in love with his father and come to him, soon him being enthralled by her. When she revealed her secret of her ancestry to his father, he told her the truth: he cared not for it, as he was in love with her.

A love that mostly brought Magemoru pain...

* * *

"And where is this castle supposed to be, anyway? We have gone all over these mountains for the past days and we have found no trace of it or theirs!" Shippo whined.

"Calm down, kid! We will find them, soon enough. Say, can you break any illusion such as this?" Inuyasha asked him.

"I am not so sure now..." Shippo got grim.

The situation was getting out of hand... They were following the fog for the past days but all of a sudden the fog wisped into nothingness! To add to that, they could find no mountain, let alone the castle on top of it!

Kagome seemed to be deeply in thought. There was something nugging her, but she could not put her finger on it.

Until everything clicked into place.

"Say... what if I 'purified' the whole area?" As all of the youkai of the group turned and looked at her in exasperated looks, she only shook her head. "You can protect yourselves by jumping very high. Will you do that? We have heard of no youkai around these parts and we have certainly seen none of them throughout our travel, so you are the only ones who should be wary of the purification..."

Inuyasha looked at Kagome with pride in his eyes. 'That is a great thought!'

Sesshoumarou also looked at Kagome with appreciation. "It could work, but you realise that your timing should be perfect." Kagome looked back at Sesshoumarou and nodded.

"I will help too, as little as that may be..." Needless to say that a particular person glared at him. "Don't worry, Inuyasha, I have my own wife, remember?" Sango blushed a deep crimson.

"Will you guys get on with it?" Shippo said and took his pink-balloon form, flying up. The next moment the two brothers bent low on the ground, so that they could jump as high as possible, Myouga and Jaken on their hands.

And then they heard a wild crackling from below, as the two bowed clerics, Houshi and Miko alike, touched the ground, blue and pink and red tendrils flying off their bodies and encircling everything around them for a great distance. It took both Kagome and Miroku a lot to keep their energies low on the ground, so that their comapnions would not get hurt. The five up in the sky were rather startled, as they had never thought anything like this could be possible.

"What in the blasing furnaces of hell?" Jaken shouted. He was trully amazed, as his fainting easilly proved. Myouga had another reason to not be that well...

"Inuyasha-sama, order them to stop immediately!"

"Nani?!"

Myouga was very anxious. "If they do not stop right now, they may endanger their lives! They put to much effort to keep all of this down on the ground, and it is too much on its own... Make them stop, Inuyasha-sama!"

As Inuyasha looked on the ground, he had the most worried face imaginable. "Stop!" he shouted, and the tendrils, slowly yet steadilly dissolved into small auras around the two holy personæ down on the ground. As the four youkai and the one hanyou were reaching slowly the ground, both of them looked very startled. Kagome had also taken notice of something else none other had, but it was too late now...

"Inuyasha..." She had a very surprised look on her face, and she was trembling.

"You might have killed yourself there! Don't do this again, all right?"

"Inuyasha... look."

The hanyou noticed then that she had one hand clasped over her chain around her neck where the Shikon no Tama rested all this time after Naraku's defeat. She slowly opened it and then they saw it...

The Shikon no Tama was dissolving into bright particles... When this transformation ended, the particles started dimming and, soon enough, there was nothing left of it.

The world would never again see the Shikon no Tama.

* * *

"Yao ren" means "sorcerer". 


	22. Unexpected surprises

Author's Note:  
I know, I know... pretty lousy to put a cliff-hanger right there, was it not? Oh well, I still think most of you have not figured out what had happened to the Jewel... Those of you who have not come up with a theory will soon have their explanations in this chapter... I believe you may like this, but I do not know... 0-0

The one thing I am sure it is going to annoy some people is the continuous change between one scene and the other. I am sorry if this is the case, but I have never done anything with so many parts to be played at the same time...

I was awfully late once again... I know, I should not have been, and I truly do not like it a bit, but I really wanted the whole thing to be as good as possible, since rituals and things like that tend to be very annoying some times. I beg your pardon.

Chapter 22  
Unexpected surprises...

"Ite-ite! It hurts, but I have it at last!"

Magemoru had the Jewel in his fingers and was looking at the awesome depth it had, however small. He still had a small brand from Kagome's blast, but he was readier than ever too make his fate his own, as he held the glass bead in his hand. He quickly clasped his fist around it, feeling its warmth radiating through his fingers, casting lavender light all around his chambers.

He stood for a moment, considering his luck... The blast in itself had purified the magic that held the illusion together and had even reached for him. It seems that with a little searching they should be able to find the castle soon, but he was prepared for that. Their move would have been good if they were fighting against someone like that damned dragon, but they had killed him for good, and there was no way he could turn back. It would have worked against most youkai too, but it was not enough in his case. Even if his protective ofuda was not enough, as the burnt tatters proved so conveniently, it was enough to save him.

'But their greatest problems will start soon, for her attempt allowed me to pinpoint her location, and that means the Tama's location too. It was easy enough to use magic so that I would take it from her while she was preoccupied with her work, but creating the illusion of dissolving... that was tricky!' He didn't expect it to work so fine, but his spying on the group proved otherwise: they were shocked to say the least, and none of them could understand the meaning of this...

'Well, time to move on with my plan...' Looking up at the kanji his father had written on the scrolls that were now hanging on the wall, he cringed. "Time to redeem myself for your mistakes, father!" Then he walked up to a bronze, slightly concave disc; it was almost 3' in diameter. He picked the Tama, taking it between his thumb, index and middle fingers, and lowered it until it touched on the disc, letting of it go at that moment. The bead waded around the disc for some time, during which a rythmic, melodic swing was heard emanating from the disc; Magemoru took a small cup with him in front of the disc. While the small sphere danced around it, the yao ren took a dagger out of a sheath by the disc and cut his wrist only sligtly, letting the blood drop inside the bowl, chanting all the while. When he was sure it was enough, he quickly bound the wound, applying some paste before tying the bandages around his wrist. After that, he took out a tiny, ebony box from a table next to him and opened it, revealing a small chunk of fur that looked suspiously much like hair; it had a fiery colour that matched his own hair and eyes perfectly. 'My mother gave this lock of hers to my father so long ago...' Sighing heavilly, he deeped the edge of the fur in the blood, tanking care so that it did not sink in it. 'I guess they won't be needing it now...'

* * *

Inuyasha was fuming. "But how can this be! I mean... ungh, I don't know! What made the Tama disappear all of a sudden anyway?"

Kagome was shaking, not knowing what to think, let alone say. "How should I know? One moment it was hanging from its chain, the next, poof, it was gone!" She actually was in the verge of tears, something that Inuyasha picked up quite soon.

"I am sorry, my love... I just am so frustrated." Throwing his arms into the air, he admitted defeat in the matter. "What are we going to do now, Myouga-jiji?"

"Hmm... I believe that the best thing is to search for the castle of that thing. We have wasted enough time wondering what happened to the Jewel." The small flee spoke up from his shoulder.

"He is right, you know." Sesshoumarou intervened. "Our priests did not perfrom this task at the risk of their lives just so that we would stand here now, doing nothing." And then he started leaping, a still unconscious Jaken in one hand, looking for the castle of their companions' kidnapper. "It would have been nothing but a waste of good resources."

A growl was heard from Inuyasha's throat, but was silenced by a clever remark by Sango. "Sounds like a particular hanyou to me..." Substituting his growling with a smirk as he got the point, he took Kagome on his back and followed his brother's example, the two doing their own research for the castle.

"I guess this leaves us do our part of the job alone..." Miroku piped in. Sango could only nod, and she asked from Kirara to trasform. Soon the three remaining people, Shippo, Sango and Miroku were flying on Kirara's back.

Kagome was very nervous on Inuyasha's back though... Something was bugging her, and it sure was obvious.

"What is wrong, Kagome?" Inuyasha inquired.

"I do not know... but wait!" Kagome was suddenly very stiff. "It cannot be!"

"Nani?! What is it? Tell me, Kagome!"

"The Jewel! I can feel it; over there!" She pointed the general direction she felt it was. "Tell the others! We must hurry!"

Inuyasha yelled at the others to follow him and started jumping as far as he could.

* * *

When he was finished with the chanting, he left the bead wade for some time as he gathered his thoughts for his wish. He knew what he wanted, and he had waited for that from the very moment he touched it, but he had to perform the ritual for his plan to work, and that meant he had to gather the components, which was the only reason he used the musical disc: to control his enthusiasm. When the hum stopped, he lifted himself from where he stood and got next to the disc: the Shikon no Tama was resting in its center. A small whisper escaped his lips, his words drifting away as they came out of his mouth, reaching for the world to listen to them, had they been any louder of course...

The Jewel started glowing, and an almost silent hiss was coming out of it...

Hestared at it for a moment. He regretted it from the very next moment, since it burnt with an inner flame that blinded him temporarily, making him whirl around, holding his hands in front of his eyes... When he felt they were better he opened them, still tiery from the intensity of the light. Suddenly, noticing something about his hands, he turned around and saw inside a higly polished bronze disc that rested on the wall like a mirror.

He would never forget that day when he saw his face on the surface of the disc... his human face.

* * *

"Nani?!" Kagome cried out, still on Inuyasha's back, making him wince because of her involuntary cries.

The hanyou was in not such a really good mood. "Please, don't tell me there is more..."

Kagome bent her head low in contemplation, resting her head on his back. "The Shikon no Tama... I can feel nothing of it!"

It was Inuyasha's turn to cry out. "Nani?!"

* * *

A small sigh of relief was heard, as Magemoru felt content for his achievement... He had managed to both take the Shikon no Tama and wish to be human, thus destroying the Jewel. For ever. He had achieved quite a part of his plan pretty soon, and that made him feel more comfortable.

But he was getting weaker. Knowing that he had to make it quick or he would faint from the blood loss, he walked near the pedestal that rested at the corner of the chamber, cup of blood in hand. As he made his way there he snatched a piece of paper with his other hand, not even acknowledging to himself that he hurt from the use of the arm that had been cut. Nearing the pedestal, he once again started chanting, concentrating on the piece of paper he was now laying on it, taking the cup in his hurt arm and picking up the blood-soaked fur from it. He let the few drops that were falling of it reach the rest of the pool and started tracing some intricate markings on the paper, slowly yet decisively. Each moment that passed was marked by yet another sign in the complex array of crimson lines that were drawn on the pale paper...

* * *

"Sango, do you feel it?" Miroku was looking straight ahead to their apparent destination. "There seems to be something unwholesome about the air around us..."

His words were not falling on deaf ears, but none of the three that were with him on Kirara's back said anything. They held their mouths shut, as if something kept them silent. Fear, worry or pure instinct, they were sure something was not right, but putting your finger on it, that was another thing...

Kirara made a sudden turn, practically going around the same spot very nervously. Sango was not very thrilled about it. "I am not sure what is there up ahead, but Kirara being relactant to go any further does not make me feel any better of it!"

It was only then she noticed that every single person with some youkai blood in them was looking and sniffing frantically aroun, except for Sesshoumarou... and Myouga, who just happened to be resting on her shoulder at the time being...

Myouga said "Maybe I should make a research for Inuyasha-sama about this incident..." and then jumped off her.

"That little coward! Off he goes again, to supposedly help us later on..." Shippo whined. None could blame Shippo though. They knew all too well where Myouga was running off: as far away from the scene of action as possible, or the face of danger if he could not help it...

* * *

It took him some time to finish the pattern of his highly improbable ward... He had studied so many years to create the correct flow that would result in such an complicated enchantement, but it now was the time when it would prove how useful would it come to be. He just had to hope he didn't do anything wrong, even if his eyes told him that everything was set up as it should. It would start any moment...

* * *

Everyone was feeling something was not right about the whole place around them, and that certainly did not help them any...

"What are we going to do?" Kagome inquired. "It seems like our actions have been anticipated..." Kagome thought back to the incident when they were taken for a ride by the fake Oshou that Kumogashira presented himself as and was wondering what did that new adversary knew of them. Naraku was their number one problem in the past, since he didn't hesitate to do anything, except for these few things that would endanger him... That's why he absorbed Onigumo's manifestation as one of his puppets back to himself, so as not to get killed, for example. And Kikyou... She meant business, and she knew what being a miko meant, while poor Kagome had to learn mostly alone, even though her potential was terribly high, as it was based on the power of her feelings, whereas Kikyou had always drawn a bit away... And like most people who are living a life with only a little passion, the hatred that Naraku's actions, presented as Inuyasha's betrayal, fueled was more intense than anything, for her heart was even more hurt being "betrayed" by her love.

'But what about now? What does he or she has against us?' She had just finished her thought when she felt a strange twinge, something giving her this... "gut instinct" that something was going on, something they should know of earlier...

Even that it was late for them to act. "I'am scared, Inuyasha..." Kagome clutched his sleeves from behind in terror, as she was feeling like they had already lost, a black whirl of torment and oblivion clouding her thoughts. "Inuyasha, we..."

Inuyasha had already smelled her sweat and her adrenaline peaking, so he gave her a small jerk to help her snap out of this rush of helplessness. "We are going to be OK, trust me!" He suddenly gave her a smile that lifted her spirits somewhat, but only little if you considered her look only a moment later. "And in a few months we are going to have our first kid or two!"

As he made a step or two away from her, surveying the area around them, he cast her another glance, saying:"Besides, I do not intend to let them go through what I had!"

* * *

I am sure you people want to kill right now... Don't worry, the next chapter will be up by Sunday if all go quite bad. '0-0'


	23. Beware the Yao Ren

Author's Note:  
I know I probably am unforgivable for being so late, but I really stuck! I had no idea of how to write what I had in my mind, how to put this chapter in words... I really am sorry I have not updated all this time. Once again I am really sorry.

From those of you who know of the fantasy world of Rokugan from the Legend of the Five Rings role-playing game, I would like to ask a question: how would you like it if I used some bits and pieces from the game in my story? If any of you finds the idea appealing, please do tell me so... It can help me a lot, since it has give me some very interesting ideas. Also, for those of you who enjoy pen-and-paper role-playing games and would like to implement the youkai race in their worlds, I suggest you buy Wizards of the Coast's Oriental Adventures or drop me a message. 0-0

(**spoiler**) The chanting means nothing in real life japanese or means something I have not meant to say, though I would like to know how to speak japanese so that I could write a chant as I should... I have written poems in the past, songs, even a fake chant to an imaginery goddess of death and magic. If you have anything that would fit the story, I would be most grateful if you would send it to me. For now, only the word "Shikon" does ring me a bell. (**spoiler**)

Chapter 23  
Beware the Yao Ren...

Suddenly the forest was loud with the reverberating sound of a relatively young man's voice. It shook them, for it seemed to both reach their ears and grab at their minds, speaking to them.

"Nagimoro abei ro kotusan; tosou jido date Shikon. Fomu bari keo to miie; ramu kino to deru."

The chanting voice stopped only for a moment. Then it went on heedlessly.

"Nagimoro abei ro kotusan; nosu wan mi takedo. Koru todeya me suni; genomori sato ni edou."

All of a sudden, blue, wispy rays started coming out of the ground, the trees... Everything around them seemed to carry the sound of these strange words. Even though they could relate the strange dialect as Japanese, they had no idea of what it might have meant, or where was it coming from.

Inuyasha came up with an idea: "Everyone, get closer! Form a circle, dammit!" His comrades reluctantly followed his advice, awed and terrified at the same time, as the rays were reaching the number of several thousands, and they were still increasing.

Unbeknowest to them, that's what their adversary wanted them to do.

* * *

Still whispering his chant, Magemorou was grinning wickedly. His plan was working just fine, if not flawlessly even! He managed to hold back a laugh at how good everything seemed to be going.

'Soon... A little longer and all will be fine...'

Trying as hard as he could to maintain his concentration, he would only dream his success...

His becoming worthy of his legacy.

* * *

They were all sitting by now in a tight circle, everyone's back or arm bumping against another's.

"Where is that Ji-Ji when you need him?!"

Kagome fidgeted for a moment, but Sango answered for her in no time. "He left us a little while ago; guess he was afraid... Again."

Inuyasha's exasperation would have sent them into a fit of rolling on the ground with good-natured laughter, if not for their predicament. "Great... Just GREAT! That blood-sucking bastard and his always perfect timing!"

It was just then that Shippo noticed something. "Take cover!"

When the rest turned around to take a look at what had discomposured Shippo so much they realised that the rays where moving... with unbelievable speed too! It was only due to skill and a little luck on their part that they managed to dodge each one of them. A moment later they noticed that every ray was moving, if only a little.

Unsheathing Tetsusaiga, Inuyasha shouted in a commanding tone just as he dodged a flurry of the blue strands. "Do not let them touch you! Hit them with whatever you can use effectively against them!"

Surely enough, none of his companions needed being told twice. they spread out in the small glade that they could now move through, since the rays have opened up quite a lot in order to attack them. But they still were quite a lot of them...

It wasn't long before Sesshoumarou drew his own weapon: his whip of acidic poison. He lashed at the center of the glade, clearing up most of it. Shippo helped him with his kitsune-bi, and thus they managed to clear it all. In its center moved the human trio, most susceptible to hurt and better at dealing their attacks from a distance. Soon they were followed by Shippo as well, who plucked two magic leaves out of his hakama, using one to make a copy of his own and then taking another out. If those things were after them, he would drive them off with his copies so he could use his powers as a kistune without distraction. Last of all, Jaken, who had come to his senses only moments ago and who only knew that some strings of bluish light were hunting them down, also got into the center of the group and raised the Staff of the Heads, prepared to fire at them.

It was Inuyasha who snapped at the feeling of fury. "NOW!" Slashing thrice, wildly yet elegantly, he vaporised some of the rays. Then followed Sesshoumarou, flailing at the other side of the glade, complementing his brothers swift moves in an even more elegant, but profoundly more sinister dance of lithe snaps of his wrists and twists of his waist, revolving around his own form. Then, back to back, the two brothers continued their deadly duet.

Meanwhile, Sango was swinging Hiraikotsu at the strands that threatened to close on them at one time, only to throw it the next moment at the center of a forming mass of the damned things. In his own way, Miroku was complementing the young taijiya, his love, by using his staff to block off attacks at one point, then using some ofuda to burn others to dust; but the situation seemed dire for the two, since their weapons seemed to be the weakest against this magic, and the ofuda would all be used up at some point...

In a much better position than the couple, and mostly helping the rest than defending themselves except for a few direct attacks, Kagome, Shippo and Jaken were doing quite well. Shippo sent his copies mostly to distrqact the strands that were forming aroung the two humans, while he and Sesshoumarou's loyal servant roasted a few of them. The young miko on the other hand fired arrows at any lumpy formation, destroying it utterly with just one shot...

But the rays were still coming by the hundreds.

* * *

'They are doing very good against such a spell. Let's try something else...'

Magemorou started chanting even louder, sending his new will at the direction of the glade were the fight was taking place...

* * *

It didn't take the chanting long to be herd throughout the forest as well. It didn't seem awfully changed, but their was something different in it... Still, they could never recognise the sound over the errupting battle.

What they also missed was the fact that the strands opened up a little, a few digging in the ground and disappearing in it, others going up the globe that surrounded them all, reaching it stop part... Then both such ends charged at the individual people. They, confused and entangled, could do nothing to resist their binding grasp. The two brothers managed to fight back for a while, braking quite a few of them, but also were defeated when more and more bound themselves around them.

Just when they were all bound up, they lit up an cold, otherworldly radiance, an immencely potent feeling of heat and stinging pain running through their bodies, not quite hurting them but making them fall unconscious.

Their fight seemed to have met its end.

* * *

  
I know I left another cliff-hanger, but I don't have the time to write right now. Since I have come up with the text to follow though, you need not worry: the next chapter will be up by tomorrow evening. 0-0

And for those of you who like to come up with the solutions to riddles, can you figure out who helped Kouga? ^-^


	24. Myouga's Big Comeback

Author's Note:  
Well, this is the continuation from the point I left it in the last chapter. I hope you like it and are still there... Ô-Ô

Chapter 24  
Myouga's Big Comeback

In the meantime, none of them, not even the ever resourceful Magemorou, have thought of Myouga's actions... Small, very agile, and a coward of the worst kind, however nice he is, the diminutive flee had left the glade long before these rays would have posed any sort of threat to him. It was easy for him to avoid them anyway, since he had left all others a bit earlier.

Now, what really mattered, was the fact that he alone was free and could act on his own. He didn't know what to do, but he certainly would be of little help in the forest while his companions had been defeated by that ritual. There was simply nothing he could do back there...

'I suppose I should go to the realm of that fiend to find whatever I can. Where did Inuyasha-sama say they were going? Right... there! OK, here I go...' And off he jumped, into the distance.

* * *

On the other hand, the sorcerer was very happy... Soon, the last part of his magics would be laid down to good use, but he wanted some time to rest; that ritual was not easy to perform, and using some blood of your own would never help much either... Still, he wished he would end with all this...

'Only an hour more at worst and it will be completed!' He walked up to a mattress that rested in the far corner of the room, stained with sweat he could not care less washing out of it in the past years. He knelt by its side, the sour smell making him think that now he would have the time to care more for himself, and waved his hand in the air in a mystical, arcane gesture, speaking a single, incomprehensible word; the next moment a flask of sake appeared next to his bed and some gruel made out of rice in a porcelain bowl. He ate some of the gruel and took a sip of the sake, leaving the rest next to his bed... He would have some more when he would feel somewhat hungrier, after resting.

Deciding that all went well and he deserved to take a nap, he lowered on his bed and fell in a sleep full of content...

* * *

Almost a quarter of an hour later and quite a distance farther, well, for a flee, Myouga run his sleave over his sweaty brow. It seemed as if this trip would never end, something he found rather intimidating, to say the least. But his friends and his own master had to be rescued, so he had to do something...

It took him only a little more before he managed to reach theie adversary's castle. The old flee felt his knees buckling in the idea of finding whatever was inside, but he pressed on, knowing that if he did not try at least something, he was no good, and it was his duty to do whatever he could for his master.

"On the other hand," he mused, "even if I cannot find something to help, our enemy won't think of searching for me in his own hide-out." That he found satisfying enough, and walked up to the stairs leading up to the first floor...

After almost another quarter of an hour, and as he was searching the castle, he found Magemorou sleaping deeply. Realising who he was, just in time before his suction needle would make an impact with the human's cheeck, he pulled back and took a little time to think what should he do... It truly amazed him, the fact that a human, a ningen man, could actually defeat them all, and even come up with all these ideas. Still, the images of what happened back there in the glade made him pay more attention in whatever was inside this room.

He smelled of the various herbs and the many different things he might find handy... Two, though, made him much impression: some vials with a thick liquid of acidic smell, and the grotesque patterns that the thick lines that smelled of blood were shaping; they had grown quite dense, but he could understand their nature.

"Hmm, could it be that this has helped in the creation of those ensnaring strands? It does only seem logical... But why does the blood have both his smell and a hint of youkai at the same time? And finally, what's this?" He fidgeted a little with what seemed to be a small brush of fine fur... It took him only a moment to realise the origin of the scarlet chunk. "A kitsune? But who could have given him a lock of hair? Especially to paint his ritualistic writings!"

At that moment, Magemorou stirred in his bed, making Myouga think better about his speculative manners... He decided against staying in this place, and jumped off the chamber and into the hall, once again searching for whatever might help him. And he did find it...

* * *

"Oh, Kaede-sama, what are we going to do?" Rin was once again exasperated.

"For the last time, my child, do not despare. Thou shalt find, soon enough, I assure thee, that if the time comes, it will come."

Not knowing how to respond to something so tragicomically profound yet obvious, the young girl tried to settle down, but the chains were not helping. She grumphed, which was quite acceptable, if you take into account the fact that she had been kidnapped and chain bound for such a long period of time. On the other hand, Kaede did not like her growing impatient in responce to the girl's frustration.

It was Myouga, though, that put all these frustration to good use, since he easilly found the room where the two were held captives. Jumping up to Kaede, he spoke his greeting. "Hello, Kaede-sama. I come with dire news and the need for help, if that would be." Kaede found the whole situation strange, but asked him what happened anyway.

Of course, it was beyond Myouga to stay in control of himself... "I left my master; a coward I am, and bedamn my kin for its weakness. Alas, how can I redeem myself? That man upstairs has them bound, and only I, this filthy worm, may infernal fires lick me a thousand times, escap-"

"Hey, slow down!" Rin interrupted him. "Did you see our captor? And you are still alive and free?"

"Well," Myouga fidgeted with the words, "he was asleep."

Kaede soon intervened. "Are you sure he was the same? How did he look like?"

The tiny flee shrugged. "Like any young man, only with very rich, red hair... Not many of them have that hair colour, that is true... But otherwise he is normal."

Both women now were very confused. "What do you mean by rare?! It is not so rare for a hanyou to have crimson hair... And he also has the blood of a kitsune in him..."

Now it was Myouga's time to get confused. "Hanyou, you say? And a kitsune, to top that? The man I saw was ningen!"

Kaede was very curious. "We will figure this riddle out later! Can you do anything about the chains?"

Tinking of the vials full of acid, Myouga smiled. "Well, if you let me drink up some blood of both of you, I might as well carry out a plan I have come up with..."

Chubby Myouga walked in the private chambers of Magemorou, looking for the flasks of acid. It was more difficult than he thought it would be to get there, but if his plan was successful, it would be worth it. Carefully taking one vial, he walked off the room and down the stairs, going back to the room where the two ladies were. Still chubby enough to handle them, he took off the lid of the flask and poured a little on the chain of Rin, taking care so that she would not get burned by the acid. When her chain was done, Rin retreived the acid from Myouga, who was growing smaller again and poured the rest on Kaede's chains so that she could also be set free.

A few minutes after Myouga came back with the acid, the three of them were going up, into the chambers of Magemorou...

* * *

When Magemorou finally waked up, more than an hour had passed, as the sun could easilly indicate, and he was hungry: his loss of blood had been restored, but he needed to provide his body with what it had spent. True to his needs, Magemorou ate the rest of the gruel and took another sip of sake to help him wake up for good.

It didn't take him long to snap out of the drousiness of sleep, but he needed to concentrate very hard for the next part to work as planned, and he wanted to be ready for it, or he would fail miserably...

The first part consisted of luring the victims near him. The second from binding them. The third and most difficult one would require most of his mentality to work out fine, and if he were not so good at sorcery he would never be able to survive through it. This last part mostly was a second ritual that would draw power from the bound victims and endow other people with them. Since this spell would endow only one person with the powers of all these people, it is apparent that such an attempt can be quite dangerous, since if the recipient of all these powers cannot stand their potency, he will be utterly burned inside out, with no way to protect him or her. The reason one would ever perform such a spell, though, was the fact that you can keep your original form through its use, unlike the results of most infernal rituals.

This was the very reason Magemorou waited for a while... This is also the reason he wore his family periapt...

As he took a vial of acid to use for the procedures of the ritual, he noticed that one seemed to be missing... Dismissing it as impossible, and to much intent on carrying on with his plan, Magemorou walked back to where he had painted the kanji on the piece of rice paper. Putting the piece in the center of a blazing brazier, the paper burned to dust, leaving only the magically endowed blood on its center, then grabbed them with a long pair of tongs. Reaching for them with his hands, still cool to the touch, the intricate patterns had an eery feeling about them. Making sure they were fine, he placed them on a glass tank and put the vial of acid beside it. He would have to use it as well as some of his magic for the ritual to work.

As he started chanting once again to initiate the ritual that would drain his captives of their powers, the three people he never thought would harm him had just reached the floor where his room was. Listening to the chant, they fell very silent, not knowing what to do. All seemed so final, so futile... Kaede and Myouga closed their eyes in a pained expression for a moment before deciding that they should act, however desperate their actions might be...

Only to find Rin standing with a torch in one hand near the door of Magemorou's room.

"Rin-san! Iie!" Kaede whispered, trying to stop her, to no avail though. With one swift move, Rin opened the door wide and jumped at the man she saw... It was true he looked like Magemorou, except for not having any animalistic or youkai features, but it had to be him, or they had failed miserably. Charging at the startled form of the young man, he whacked at him with the lower part of the torch, even scraping her fingers as they connected with his raised hand.

Magemorou of coursse lost his concentration, stopping the ritual for good. Finding himself unexpectedly attacked, he looked around frantically and easilly realised by the chains dangling from the girls wrists where had the missing vial gone, yet he could not understand how had she retrieved it! And things only startewd getting worse when the old woman came at the threshold, carrying another torch in her hand, but she seemed startled, unlike the girl who had a very determined look on her face.

Knowing that his brawling skills would be far worse than theirs now that he had lost his strength as a hanyou, he reached for the vial of acid he had set beside the glass bowl on his desk and pull the cork of it, even spilling some of it in a threatening move. Noticing that the two women have not thought of this by their confused, frightened expressions, since both knew what acid could do, his spirits lifted somewhat. Deciding that his spells could be more effective than fighting, and that acid would always pose a potent threat, he started chanting another spell, waving his hands in a rapid but absolutely perfect array of swings and thrusts.

Before he could finish the spell, however, he felt a very painful stinging on his neck, effectively making him slap at his neck and naturally miscasting it. Seeing that he was distracted, Rin swung her torch at his hand that held the vial, scorching his fingers and flinging the vial at a wall. Hurt and more defenceless than he would ever like himself to be, Magemorou did not even expect the next flailing attack the elder miko performed, burning some of his skin and hair and knocking him out, unconscious to the world and frustrated at his defeat...

* * *

  
How was it? I wasted so much time to come up with the words for these chapters, so I would like you to be honest.


	25. Magemorou Unfold

Author's Note:  
This truly is a chapter I anticipated writing. I hope you are still there, after all this time. 0-0

Since I am taking some of my inspiration from the world of Rokugan, you will be seeing some strange stuff. An explanation for whatever is to come follows:

yao ren: a sorcerer, a mage who controls magic through sear force of will.  
wu jen: more like an elemental wizard, wu jen specialise in magic that involve one of the five elements that make up the world in one of the oriental cosmologies - earth, fire, metal, water, or wood. The wu jen use ofuda (the kind of scrolls Kagome's grandfather used), as do most many other figures of Asian folklore...  
maho-tsukai: a blood-mage, one who wields great magic at the expense of his very own blood and soul.  
maho: magic; blood magic in this text  
- text -: things spoken by the Taint of the maho magic in the very mind of a maho-tsukai; a delusion

Chapter 25  
Magemorou Unfold

The young - or were you not? You could not tell, really - man rose from the mattress by the wall he occupied... He noticed some difficulty, and a sharp pain in his wrists: sure enough, they were bound tightly. There was a bowl full of broth and a small glass of sake there. He had left them there himself the previous afternoon; could it be he had been unconscious any longer than that? He remembered the control that run throughout his every move, the deliberation behind each of his actions... Now, his movements were slow, wiggly, as his head spun round and round from the terrible headache he felt - you were hit, weren't you? - and he had a flashback of the previous night. He did hit his head; in fact, someone else hit his head with a torch.

As another wave of vertigo hit him, he made a terrible amount of effort in order to avoid throwing up, and tried to sit straight, but his body in this frail state did not allow him to move very controlled, a mockery of his former grace... 'The grace of a hanyou...', he thought bitterly. He had given so much up to gain nothing.

Realising that something was up - you were attacked, remember? Your adversaries must be somewhere around! Look around - he turned his gaze to where the most spacious area in his chambers was. Truly, there they were, the people he tried to pry off their powers. To suck them dry of them. Apart from the three smaller youkai, who were looking frantically around at the various objects, the young girl who was shuddering in this dark atmosphere and the taijiya who was comforting her, all the others were looking down at him. A look of contempt, of disgust, maybe?

No. It took him to long to realise that, except for the two other men with youkai blood running through their veins who were looking at him with gold, cold eyes, flashing brightly out of suppressed fury, the three more spiritually oriented people were glancing at him with a mixed look of sympathy and grief.

'They must have seen the blood patterns...', Magemorou mused.

Supposing he would need some comfort at least, he finally managed to stand up after some moments and leaned on the wall to brace his back against it. Raising his eyes to the people in front of him, the first sentence rung high and true in the air.

"This Sesshoumarou would bid you tell us what was this all about, and you would better give him and his brother a good reason not to tear you in pieces, but he thinks we can wait until you regain some of your former strength." Sesshoumarou said.

Inuyasha chose to intervene. "We've left the broth as it was, but I suppose it would be best if you ate something more sustaining than that stale thing. We could warm it up for you, so you could take some strength, but the interrogation is not over, remember that...", he said and flashed him a sly grin. "It seems you are not that as good in melee as in magic, so we suppose it is safe, for both sides, to let you with just your hands bound. I hope you can still eat, for none will trust that you will not harm them under any other condition."

Magemorou nodded. "I understand." He felt his head spin. "Allow me some more rest: I do not feel so well." Without another word, he fell asleep, dead to the world.

* * *

When he woke up, he found he had a bandage wound around his head and another around his hurt hand; those torch swings were hurting more than he had suspected.

"Please do not move...", Kagome told him. "It seems you lack a lot of vitality. It is good you never confronted Sesshoumarou-sama; you might have died even with the weakest of his blows..."

"Thank you for your administrations." Looking up at the others, he spoke to the youkai lord. "I would like to get this over with." Sesshoumarou nodded slightly.

Miroku piped in. "From what we have seen and heard, it seems you are a yao ren, or maybe even a wu jen, of great power. I wonder, though, because, for all we know, you should either be hanyou or youkai, not ningen!"

"I was hanyou. Now I am ningen. That's the doing of the Shikon no Tama I stole from you."

"A-ha! I knew it!" Kagome said. "Tell me though, for I cannot understand this: if you are so powerful, what do you want with us? It seems there was more to it than the Shikon no Tama itself."

It was Magemorou's turn to nod. "I chose to lose my youkai blood for two reasons. The first one is only practical: the madness that can cloud a hanyou's mind from time to time and send him in a berserk does not work so well with someone like me who is not trained in combat but in magic. Secondly, you may have noticed that I have bound you with a ritual."

"We figured as much. Go on." Kaede answered.

"Well, to make a long story short, I wouldn't be able to... Anyway, I wanted to drain you all of your powers so that I could use them, to empower my own body, without being in need of either giving up my magic, or having youkai blood. The ritual would not harm you, but it would put you in a temporal stasis, as long as I was alive. The time I would be dead, you would also be released from the magic."

A long silence covered the chambers of the sorcerer. While the nostrils of the youkai-blooded flared, Myouga, the sole person who could have acquired such knowledge, spoke up. "Either you are trying to lie to us with much fluency, or you know to little of the Dark Art you have started studying..."

Startled by the flea's recognition of his eldritch skill, Magemorou chose to give things a try. "I take it that some of you have noticed the blood pattern, haven't you?"

Kagome looked down at the floor. "Hai. We even took notice of the blood in the bowl. It was yours. We don't know though why would you make up a paintbrush out a lock of kitsune-fur."

"It was the familiar spirit that rose from the land to bind you." When they looked at him, he simply said: "You know what I mean, or you can at least figure it out."

Inuyasha looked at him sternly. "I see. Tell me though, before we think this over, what would you like us to do?"

Magemorou gasped at the request. The others looked at the hanyou as if a second head had just been formed out of this air on his shoulder. Answering to Kagome alone, he said: "The last time I did that with that lord, it came out well, don't you think?", and he winked. Kagome could only smile at the recall of the whole incident.

"I don't know what you have in mind, but I only wanted to have the power to go through a new stage of life, one that would allow me to study my art under the full potential I have, negating the effects time would have on me. The arcane arts is not something one can master in one lifetime, and I am not a true youkai to reach the understanding their spirit bonds provides; merely a hanyou, I was but a laughing stock, and the rituals of my art require the use of blood, which only as a ningen could I provide... Do as you wish then; I am in your mercy."

"It seems that you have been deceived, for I sense no lies in you..." Myouga said, and Magemorou turned white as a ghost in shock. "It is not the blood of a ningen that provides maho with what is needed, though it is true that some people are immune to the Taint that you must have in order to learn this Dark Art. Has anyone offered you his or her help in the study of this art? It is quite necessary that you answer us this question."

A voice spoke in the back of his head to not answer, but now, quite alarm that something was wrong, and trusting that these people might help him, with all of their care and administrations, he complied.

"Why, yes, a hengeyoukai of awesome powers... and it is truly strange, now you mention it, for hengeyoukai prefer the study of the wu jen than that of the yao ren! Anyway, that same hengeyoukai told me that I should be able to master the art of the maho without having much problem. I studied under him almost for 13 years, but one day he simply vanished. After my master left, I started using maho along with my normal sorcery, achieving great results. The only problem I noticed was the fact that my body became more frail, but since I am... was a hanyou, that was no great problem; till now it seems." He run his eyes up and down, and confirmed his theory: his body was... shriveled, as if he had not had proper food and drink for some weeks.

"So it seems. I am sorry to say so," Kaede told the unnaturally frail man before her, "but your 'master' has used you, in one way or another. We do not know to what extent, and even if we find out what he has taught you and how far has the Taint gotten into you, it is still possible that you may not recover. From what I see, though, and that is wondrous, even though you learned to use maho, you have not used it much..."

"I suppose I worked too long, trying to invent this ritual to actually use the maho to any great extent." The others nodded. "Would you accept the help of your adversary if he vowed to stop using the maho and tried to recover? I might as well bring down furious vengeance on the man..."

"Can you tell us his name, then?" Sango questioned.

"I cannot, for he never spoke of it. But we could start searching for him, I suppose..."

* * *

  
Well, the end is really quite close... I will try my best at not letting you wait much longer!


End file.
